


My Soulmate Doesn't Want Me.

by UselessBard1031



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, ComeGetYallsJuice, Eventual Smut, F/F, Fluff and Humor, IHaveWritersBlockAndLinMakesItGoAwayOkay, Post-Canon, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Useless Lesbians, YaSimps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 16:55:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 35,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29156949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UselessBard1031/pseuds/UselessBard1031
Summary: You're so excited to hear the words that you almost forget what they are: 'You're Fired'.-But when your soulmate's first words are spoken to you by a woman who claims to not have one, a woman who wants nothing to do with you, what are you to do?-A Lin Beifong X Reader Soulmate AU.
Relationships: Lin Beifong/Reader, Mako/Prince Wu (Avatar)
Comments: 158
Kudos: 237





	1. You're My Soulmate!

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this during writers block to get me out of my funk. I wasn't really going to post it or keep writing more chapters until @JerriesChild convinced me too. SO blame them or thank them for the multi-chapter fic that follows.

“You’re fired”

The sentence cut through your heart like a dull blade, tearing and sticking just enough for it to really hurt.

You had only had this job for a day, not even. You had spoken one sentence to the boss and now? Well now she had the nerve to fire you. 

Your forearm heats up beneath your uniform jacket as if to remind you, she didn’t just fire you. ‘You’re fired’ were the first words she had spoken to you.

“You’re my soulmate!” You realize out loud. 

She blushes a bright red and shoots a look around the open room, catching the eyes of every staring cop. 

And why wouldn’t they stare? 

Here you were, young and beautiful at only twenty three; A woman who had advanced so quickly in her field that she had already been transferred to the capitol city of her nation to aid in taking down the high crime rate.

Here she was, nearly thirty years your elder, who was famous for never having a soulmate mark; Destined, it seemed, to die alone.

“I don’t have a soulmate.” She growls, crossing her arms. 

“Then let me see your arm.” You step closer and she steps back.

“No.” She protests.

“Soulmates have the first sentence spoken to them by their other half written on them.” You point out. “It’s always written in the same place for each of them and mine’s on my left forearm so let me see your forearm and I’ll leave you alone.”

People who were meant to be your coworkers start to murmur. 

“You clearly haven’t heard the stories.” She glares harder at you with those piercing green eyes. “I never got a soulmate mark. Wasn’t born with one and one never appeared. When I was about thirteen I stopped hoping it would show up and to my luck it never did.”

“Or you just never told anyone because I’m twenty three meaning you would have gotten it in your thirties when I was born.” You were starting to doubt yourself now but you wouldn’t let it show. 

How often was a person’s first words to you, ‘you’re fired’?

“Arm.” You put your hand out. “If you’re telling the truth then I’m only embarrassing myself here.”

She holds her crossed arms close and once again glances around the room.

Her eyes finally fall back on you and from this short distance you could see the way she chewed the inside of her cheek in thought.

“Fine.” She agrees through gritted teeth. “But then I want you out of my station and back on the first train to wherever you came from.”

“Fine then.” You nod and shove your hand closer. “Arm.” 

She rolls her eyes and uncrosses her arms before bending off the one armored sleeve. She lets you hold her so that her forearm is facing up and your frown at the sight of her tattoo.

It was large, just large enough to cover the sentence you had spoken to her earlier. Black and grey, just dark enough to cover the scar like color of a soulmates mark.

“Why would you cover it up?” You ask her, lifting your eyes to meet hers. 

“I didn’t cover anything up, I just wanted a tattoo.” She yanks her arm back and puts the armored sleeve back on.

You aren’t convinced. 

“Now get out so my officers can quit wasting time watching this drama and get back to work.” She commands.

As if she was ordering them around and not you, they all look back down at their paperwork and continue what they were doing before this all started.

“If that’s really what you want…” you trail off, hoping she’ll change her mind. 

She HAD to be your soulmate and she had to know. Why was she acting like this? Did she not want you? It’s not like you wanted her, a grumpy old woman you barely knew, but you were soulmates damn it.

“It is. I fired you, now get out.” She points to the door.

You try to keep her gaze but she looks away, unable to meet your eyes when you looked so sad.

“Fine.” You turn for the door, holding your forearm close to your chest and thinking back to your sentence.

Sure, it was strange to say ‘you’re fired’ the first time you meet someone. That’s how you knew it was her.

But what you said was unique too. After all, how many times do you have someone you barely know come up to you on their first day, look you in the eyes, and say, “Hi, You must be Chief Beifong, not that I know that from being a stalker or anything it’s because of the scars, oh, wait, shit, um sorry, not because of the, um, sorry.”


	2. Don't Leave Just Yet

You had just handed your train ticket to the man at the station counter when the woman approached you.

“Y/N Y/L/N?” She pants, out of breath from having run to reach you.

“Yes?” You turn to the brunette young woman. “May I help you?”

“I’m June.” She smiles, hands on her knees and breath still heavy. “Secretary to the president.”

“Oh!” You aren’t sure how to respond. “Okay?”

“Good news!” The woman stands up and clasps her hands together with a suddenness that takes you off guard. “You’re not fired!” She beams.

“But the chief said-“ you’re cut off.

“Yes. I’m aware of what the chief told you but President Moon wants you here.” June softens her smile and finally starts to catch her breath. “She vetoed the chief’s decision so now you’re back on the force.”

Your voice catches in your throat so you just let out a half chuckling noise and look awkwardly between June and the ticket booth man.

“Look, I would love to help.” You say. “Honestly, I think there’s a lot of good I can do for this city, but if Chief Beifong doesn’t want me around then I hardly see how I’m going to be able to do my work.” 

“Don’t worry, Mrs.Y/L/N.” June says, still with that ever present smile. “The president has already called a meeting with you both to discuss the matter. I’m sure her issue with you can be resolved quickly and efficiently.”

***

“She claimed to be my soulmate.” Lin hisses angrily. She was pouting over the decision like a little kid who didn’t get their way.

“I’m still not entirely convinced you’re not.” You confess, hands in your trouser pockets and a shrug in your loose shoulders.

Seriously, how were you supposed to fall in love with this woman?

“Did she have your soulmate mark?” The president asks.

You and Lin answer at the same time.

“No.” She growls.

“Yes.” You side eye her. The president looks confused so you fill her in. “She has a tattoo covering the spot it would be at. Wouldn’t surprise me if she had it covered up because she didn’t like what it said or when it appeared.” You direct the second half at Lin who just scowls harsher at the ground.

The president thinks, her fingers laced together neatly under her chin.

She couldn’t have the two of you fighting else bringing you here would have been pointless. However, she also couldn’t afford to let you leave because she knew how much this city needed your talents.

Plus, there was that romantic side of her that was probably thinking back to her own soulmate story. For years, she had tried to tell her now husband about the mark after he had missed her mumbled first sentence. It was only after nearly losing her life in the war with Kuvira that she had finally gained the courage to tell him about it point blank.

You liked to imagine it was a cute moment with her repeating that first sentence back to him and him slowly beginning to realize who she was.

“Is the tattoo artist someone from Republic City?” She finally asks Lin.

“I hardly see why that matters.” The older woman growls back.

You start to piece it together.

“If they’re in the city.” You point out as if she herself didn’t already realize why the president was asking. “Then we can find them and ask them if it was a cover up.”

She scoffs and tightens her crossed arms even more.

“I don’t remember who did it.” She declares.

“We can ask around.” You furrow your brows at her. “I’m sure someone remembers doing that detailed a piece on that special of a person.”

You had meant ‘special’ as in she was chief of police but her blush told you she heard it as in she was special to you. You didn’t yet know if you were embarrassed or annoyed by this.

“We can and will do that.” The president agrees. “But in an effort not to waste time, it would be best to just come clean now if it’s true. We’ll find out either way.” She looks at Lin. 

Lin pouts even more and lets out a low angry growl like an animal that honestly turned you on just a little bit.

She looks up from the ground first at the president and then at you before looking back at the president and letting out a huff of air.

“Fine, I got it covered up.” She waves both hands. “Big whoop. I don’t think I get much of a choice here about having her around but I’m not being nice about it and I’m not going to be dating this child.”

You can’t hold back your grin.

Sure, she just basically said she didn’t want anything to do with you, but she had also admitted to being your soulmate. You had dreamed about this moment your whole life.

Of course, you had never imagined it going quite like this.

She recrosses her arms and catches your smile. You wink and she grows bright red. 

“Oh no.” She scoffs. “Don’t even think about it. If we’re going to be working together there are going to be rules. Rule number one, no flirting with me.”

“Why?” You tease, eager to flirt now that you knew for sure that she was the one. “Afraid you’ll fall for me, Chief?”

“I can’t work with this.” She tells the president.

“You’re going to have to.” The other woman responds. You swear you see just the slightest traces of a smile on her lips as well when she replies. Hell yeah, even the president was team Y/N. 

The president turns to you and let’s her smile now show.

“Welcome to Republic City, Y/N.” She greets.

“Thank you ma’am.” You bow your head to her. “It will be a pleasure serving this great city in any way I can.”

Lin just rolls her eyes.

***

As you’re walking down the narrow hall towards the exit, you decide to push your limits a little more.

“I would have covered it too.” You tell your soulmate. “Those were terrible first words. Can we start over?”

She side eyes you and clicks her tongue.

“No.” She says with her eyes back facing forward.

“You know, I think the scars are actually rather beautiful.” You smile. 

She responds by quickening her pace to pass you and leaving out the front doors with a slam of the hinges behind her. 

You stop in your tracks and knead your eyebrows together.

How were you supposed to get her to love you if she wouldn’t even give you the chance to speak?


	3. I do believe in soulmates

All day you were getting annoying stares and catching the glances of those who just couldn’t seem to understand why after being fired you were still at work today.

You tried not to mind but it was difficult to not care when it was so obviously affecting her, your soulmate.

She is so beautiful. You see that now. Maybe it was just knowing you were destined to fall in love, but something about her just pulls you in.

She can sense you staring so she gets up and shuts the blinds to her office with a scowl that’s focused directly on you.

Ugh. What will it take?

You sigh and refocus on the pile of paperwork before you.

Back home in your town, you had a whole team of criminal profilers working with you. Together, you got the murder rate down to a null zero percent from the record breaking three a day had been previous. Profiling had been your idea. A freshly graduated psych student with a sheriff father, it was a rather natural idea.

Your dad went into it wholeheartedly and after you proved yourself with your first case, was eager to give you a team.

You hole it will be like that here too. But there are just so many cases. Republic City was a mess. Maybe, you think, that’s why Lin is always so stressed out.

The charcoal haired man next to you nudges your shoulder, causing you to look up in his direction. He had told you his name earlier but you didn’t remember it. You think it started with an M?

“So is it true then?” He asks.

“Is what true?” You raise and eyebrow.

“The Chief.” He clarifies. “She’s your soulmate, isn’t she? That’s why you’re still here.”

You smile and turn fully to face him.

“You’re smart.” You compliment. “Observant and analytical. I like it. Maybe when I inevitably get a team in this city, I’ll ask Lin to put you on it.”

“Really?” He looks shocked. “Thanks. I’ve been following your work in the papers and I think it’s really cool how you analyze people.”

“Thanks.” Your proud smile fades when you see Lin nearing your desks. “Uh oh. Based on that walk I’d say we’re in trouble.” 

“Y/N. My office. Now.” She demands. 

“Yes ma’am.” You reply.

You were just happy she didn’t yell at this poor man for not working seeing as you were the one to distract him.

You stand and then stop as you realize and look over your shoulder at him.

“Oh, I almost forgot.” You smile. “What’s your name again?”

“You can profile criminals but you can’t remember a name?” He jokes. “Mako.”

“Ah, nice to remeet you, Mako.” You nod and follow Lin to her office.

The second the door closes her anger grows into pure rage. It didn’t take a profiler to see it either.

“Did I do something wrong, Chief?” You ask her, standing at attention. You don’t think you did but it’s better to ask. Besides, what was she going to do? Fire you?

“I don’t know what kind of games you’re playing.” She starts with a growl in her voice. “But you are not allowed to be distracting my officers by flirting with them.”

Oh so she was jealous. You bite your lip to keep back a giggle.

“Awe, Linny you do care.” You tease.

“Don’t ever say my name like that again.” She scolds.

“Like what?” You play off your innocence.

“With the y at the end. It’s childish.” 

“Hm.” You count on your fingers. “Don’t flirt with people, don’t say your name a certain way, don’t flirt with you. Seems you’re a little obsessed with giving me these rules, Chief.”

“That just broke the first rule.” She points out.

“I wasn't flirting!” You defend with a laugh. “You just think I was because you think I’m cute. You think every time you get those butterflies in your stomach that it must be my fault because it’s too hard to admit that you love me.”

“I don’t get butterflies.” She crosses her arms. “Ugh. Why am I even defending myself? Just. No flirting. Ever. With anyone. Got that?”

“For someone who says they don’t want a soulmate, you sure do act like we’re dating.” You continue to tease her, wanting to see just how far you could take this. 

You weren’t flirting with him before, obviously, but maybe now you would. Maybe now it would push her into admitting how she feels. 

She scoffs and blushes, looking away from you. 

“Things will be so easier when you just stop pushing away your soulmate, Lin.” You tell her. 

You reach out to her face and though she growls at the touch she doesn’t resist you. 

“I was twenty eight when that mark showed up.” She shakes her head. “And it just had to be an insulting sentence too.” She turns back to face you, paying no mind to how your hand still rested on her cheek. “I’d say that gives me plenty of reason to push away my so-called soulmate.”

You smile and pull her closer. She looks over her shoulder to make sure the blinds to her office are closed.

“Ignore what you think other people think.” You tell her. “Focus on me. And on you. What do you think, Lin? Not society, not your friends, not the other officers. If it was just you and me and the rest of the world didn’t exist, what would your reaction to finding me be?”

She blushes brightly and stiffens, leaning away from you but not pulling out of your hold. You run your thumb across her cheek while she watches you, thinking, truly thinking, about her answer.

“I…” She starts then hesitates. “I guess I would be happy.” She admits. 

“Because we’re soulmates?” You smile even more.

“Yes.” She checks over her shoulder once more before turning back to you. “You’re very beautiful, Y/N, and I have no doubts that soulmates are truly meant to be together, but…” She trails off.

“But you think it’s wrong?”

“I know it is.” She finally pulls away from you and holds herself. “Just, I don’t like it when you flirt with other people. Okay? We’re soulmates.”

“But you don’t want me.” You argue. 

“Then die alone.” She hisses. Then, as if she realizes how harsh that sounded, she softens again. “I just mean. Ugh.” She regains her scowl and drops her arms to her sides. “Look, it’s unfair to lead someone on who isn’t your soulmate, okay?”

The body posture. The anger. The vocal tone.

She had lived this before.

“Who were they?” You ask, honestly concerned. 

“Who was who?” She can’t keep eye contact. Another tell tale sign.

“The person who broke your heart.” You step closer.

“Ask around.” She steps back and rolls her eyes. “There’s always someone looking to spread gossip. Not like it’s a big secret or anything.” 

“I’d prefer to hear it from you.”

“Well I don’t feel like talking about it, how about that?” She glares and you now and then sighs and rolls her eyes again. 

You watch her, hopeful for signs that she really did want to tell you about them; Hopeful that this person was the real source of her issues with soulmates. But no, she didn’t want to talk. She honestly just wanted you to leave.

Not one to push your luck, you head for the door, stopping as you pass her to squeeze her hand with a smile.

“If you’re ever ready to talk about it, I’m here.” You say. “But I won’t listen to rumors about you. I want you to be the one to tell me, to show me, who you are. I’ll be patient. For you, Lin. I’ll wait for you to come around.”


	4. Breaking Point

“Somethings wrong with her.” You complain, eyes locked on the window to her office that was currently shielded by closed blinds.

“Who?” Mako looks up from his paperwork to follow your gaze. “Oh the chief?” He looks back down. “You better get used to that if you’re soulmates. Something is always wrong with her.”

Annoyed by his comment, you stand, your eyes still on her office.

“And you better get used to seeing what’s not really there if you’re ever going to be on my profiling team.” You finally look back at him after the sentence. “The blinds are crooked.”

He raises a brow in confusion.

“The blinds are crooked.” You say again to emphasize. You look back at the window. “Angled, as if she shut them in a rush. Everything that woman does or has been doing at least since I met her, is calculated. Except now. Why did she close them so hastily? What doesn’t she want us to see?”

“You got all that from crooked blinds?” Mako asks. 

You shrug and look over your shoulder at him. 

“That and the way she was subvocalizing when she walked into the station this morning.” You say.

“I think I’ve read about that.” He smiles proudly. “Isn’t that when you’re reading and you get that little voice in your head that says the words?”

“Yes.” You nod with a smile of your own. He was learning quick. “The under part of her chin was raised meaning her tongue was pressed to the roof of her mouth. It’s a tell tale sign that she was subvocalizing.” 

“But if she wasn’t reading, then why was she doing it?” He asks.

Now you face the window again as you reply.

“It can have many reasons.” You tell him. “Anxiety, frustration, concentration. But the crooked blinds…” you trail off. “I’m gonna go check on her and make sure she’s okay.” 

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” He warns. “Something tells me she’d rather be alone if she’s that upset.”

“Probably.” You agree. “But this is what soulmates are for.”

You smile back at him once more before braving the short walk to her office door.

You knock lightly with the back of your hand.

“Chief Beifong?” You call as gently as you can. “Lin?”

There’s some shuffling before her response.

“Go away.” She barks. 

That would have worked for anyone else. Their pure fear of her would have gotten them to retreat. But you weren’t scared of her. 

Plus, in her voice was the unmistakable (at least to a profiler) sound of someone who had just been crying. As her soulmate, you couldn’t just go away.

“Lin, I’m coming in.” You say.

She barely gets half a response in before you open the door enough to slip through without opening it wide enough for everyone to see in. You shut it behind you carefully, without taking your eyes off of her.

She looked away the second you came in and her one hand was held up to block her face, but you could see it in her posture. She had indeed been crying.

“Linny, what’s wrong?” You ask her, worried. You didn’t bother with ‘are you okay’ because it was obvious she wasn’t but she would say she was. 

“Nothings wrong, now get out.” She growls, choking back the cry in her voice. 

You round the desk to see her face. As soon as she sees you, she tries to turn back the other way but you catch her chin with two fingers and force her to continue looking up at you. 

Not wanting her to feel trapped, you let go and squat down so you were closer to her seated level.

“Who do I need to kill?” You joke softly. This earns you a slight laugh. 

“No one.” She replies with a shake of her head. To your delight she doesn’t turn away from you again. “Me. If it gets out that I was crying in my office.”

She wipes her eyes but tears just keep falling. Oh what you wouldn’t give to hold her, kiss away the tears, and tell her that everything would be alright.

“Do you want to tell me what’s upsetting you?” You ask.

“No.”

“Will you anyway?” You smile softly.

She scoffs and rolls her eyes but when they fall back on you and she sees you’re still waiting for a response, she replies vocally.

“I don’t want to bond with you.” She says. “It will make it harder to ignore you if I do. So I appreciate the concern, but please leave my office and keep this a secret.”

“Ah, yes.” You giggle. “My evil ulterior motive. To make you fall in love with me by asking you why you’re crying.” 

You smile more and reach forward to wipe away some more of her tears. She catches your hand before you reach her and shakes her head.

“Please.” She shuts her eyes but the tears still fall. “Just go.”

“Kinda hard to do that when you’re still holding my hand.” You point out.

She opens her eyes in realization and looks like she wants to shove you away, but she keeps your hand and pulls it up to her cheek, leaning into it for comfort. 

You inch closer and hold her other cheek with your freehand, gently running your thumbs back and fourth at a steady soothing pace. 

You let her silently sob for a few minutes, both of her hands still gripping onto the one she had taken like her life depended on it. You’re waiting for her to speak first.

Then, she finally does.

“What will it take to get rid of you?” She growls, her emerald glare softened by the glaze of tears.

“Nothing you can do will ever get rid of me.” You promise. “Because I don’t really think you want me gone.” 

She lets go of your hand and drops her own hands to her sides. 

You take this opportunity to pull her closer until she’s close enough that you can hug her tight. She goes stiff in your arms for a second before fully breaking down into heaving choked back sobs. 

She falls into your arms off her chair and finally lets herself cry, still silent, but much less restrained. 

“It’s gonna be okay, Lin.” You tell her, holding her tight and gently stroking her silver hair. “I’m here now.”

“That’s the problem!” She cries, gripping the back of your uniform jacket like her life depends on it. You let her continue to explain. “I can’t take it anymore, Y/N. I was so sure I could refuse you. So set on defying the reality of the universe. But my heart…” she pulls away and grips at her chest. “This feeling when I’m around you, it’s strong. I don’t know what to do anymore because I told myself for years that I could go without knowing you but seeing you everyday it hurts me. It makes it difficult.” 

“Linny.” You soften into your smile and just shake your head. “Maybe it’s time you stop pushing me away if it’s hurting you that bad. Look at you.” You dry her eyes with your sleeve. “Ignoring how you feel had made you a mess. I know you’re a strong person, Lin, anyone can see that. So I know you didn’t come to this easily.” 

“It’s wrong for us to be together.” She shakes her head. “Making me destined to fall for you is just one more of the universe’s demented games. Another way it can laugh at me.”

“No ones laughing at you.” You hold her cheek once more and scoot yourself closer. “You can’t fight destiny. You’ll kill yourself trying.” You want to kiss her, but she needs to make the first move. She needs to show you it’s okay.

She watches you, her tears drying, and thinks it over. 

You were right, she knew that. But her whole life pretty much she had been set on not having a soulmate. 

How could this young girl possibly show her the happiness everyone around her had claimed to find in the comforting arms of their other half? How could she have made it this far alone only to be in tears at the stress of being alone after finding you?

“I love you, Linny.” You smile at her in that very you way. She had come to know this smile well in the past week you had been in her life and she fell for it every time. 

“It’s meant to be.” She tries to rationalize as she tentatively reaches out to hold you back. 

“We’re meant to be.” You hold your breath, not wanting to get your hopes up.

“I’m meant to love you.” She pulls you closer so your faces are nearly touching. “It’s natural.”

“It is.” You reply, wetting your lips. She wets her own.

“Are you sure no one will judge us?”

“No.” It’s not what she wanted to hear but it was the truth. “But I am sure you’ll be a lot happier when you let me finally kiss you.” 

Her eyes fall to your lips. She leans in. She kisses you.

You melt into her touch and pull her head closer. 

Your forearm tingles with what feels to be electric shocks and you know your soulmate's mark is darkening the way it does when you have your first kiss. It was the first of many mark transformations that marked the milestones in your relationship. Eventually, when you marry, it will fade away entirely.

Marrying her.

It sounds too good to be true.

You stay in the moment, kissing her with her kissing back so hard it knocks you to your back. 

She continues to kiss you as she climbs on top of you, licking your bottom lip to ask for entrance. You let her in, having wanted this from the moment you discovered who she was to you.

“Linny~” you groan. 

She finally pulls away, looking as hot as ever as she pants over you, her hair in her face.

She sniffs and laughs, wiping at her dry eyes as if there were still some lingering tears you couldn’t see.

“Wow.” She chuckles down at you and you just grin. “Now I know what they mean when they say sparks.” 

“You’re wonderful.” You compliment, folding your arms behind your head.

Her eyes catch on your soulmate mark and she frowns.

“I’m sorry I covered mine up.” She says, her green eyes going back to meet yours.

“I couldn’t care less.” You pull her back down into another hungry kiss.

This time, you only stop when there’s a knock at her door.

This snaps her out of her joy and her smile shakes away as quickly as it came.

“Go away.” She barks at the door.

You hear the footsteps echo back. It must have been able to wait.

She looks back at you and you’re eager to resume the kiss but one look at her face and you already know what she’s about to say.

“Can we keep this a secret?” She almost begs. 

“But Linny, we’re soulmates.” You argue. “They know that.” 

“Please?” She looks worried, worried you’ll reject her. She kisses you quickly and keeps you pinned beneath her. “You can wear long sleeves to cover your darkened mark. I’m just not sure if I’m ready yet.” 

You look at her. This perfect woman. This beautiful, strong, badass, perfect, woman had just kissed you and you wanted to shout that at the world. 

But she wasn’t ready yet.

You sigh and nod.

“Okay.” You agree. “But you owe me another kiss.” 

She smiles, relieved, and kisses you once again.


	5. Teasing

“So.” Lin sets down her keys with an awkward blush. “Here it is.”

You had been begging her to come over since the day you kissed at work, eager to profile her home. Of course you would never tell her it was to profile her. That would be creepy.

Right off the bat, it’s very her. Minimalist. Work files everywhere. Bits of metal that looked to be decoration but that you assumed were probably tactile.

“I love it.” You hum, spinning around to kiss her. You never did get used to that electrifying feeling on your arm.

“Really?” She looks away. “I know it’s not fancy or anything.”

“Neither are you.” You boop her nose and she glares at you.

“Don’t ever do that again.” She scolds. 

You give a cocky smirk and do it again.

“You disobedient little girl.” She growls, picking you up and fighting with her own smile. 

She sets you on the small half wall room divider she was using as a bookshelf, pushing all of her books to the ground, and kisses you deeply.

“Mm~” you break the kiss to correct her. “Disobedient woman. Don’t go giving yourself a bad name.” You wink. 

She rolls her eyes and kisses your cheek before pulling away from you entirely.

“So, what do you want to do?” She asks, walking over to her living area where she begins to bend off her armor. 

You wonder if she realizes how much watching this teases you or if she even cared.

“Hm.” You pretend to think, jumping down from the half wall and subtly checking out some of the book titles. Mainly true crime novels. Nothing surprising. 

She finishes with her armor and sits on the couch, putting her feet up on the footrest in front of her with a groan. Long day. 

That’s when you catch sight of a different kind of book with the true crime ones. A romance novel. One of those cheap, straight to print, paperbacks. You pick it up.

“What’s this?” You tease, walking over to her.

“What’s what?” She looks up at you then blushes brightly when she sees it in your hand. “I was curious.” She defends. “That’s all.”

“Jin thinks she’s got it all.” You read from the back of the book. “A good job, good friends, and a good dog. That is until she meets him. Lee. The man who shares her soulmates mark.” 

You smirk and look over the book at her.

She continues to grow brighter red and has her arms crossed right.

“I never even finished it.” She says. “Too happy.” 

“Sure.” You flip it open to the dog eared page. “Let’s see where you stopped reading, shall we?” 

“No!” The sudden urgency in her voice paired with the way she stood up at the threat only made you want to read it more.

You clear your throat and begin to read.

“I don’t care, that you’re not really my soulmate’ Jin cried, holding her lover closer. Wow spoiler.” 

Lin storms over and tries to take the book out of your hands, but you fight her off and continue.

“‘Destiny or not. You’re my true love.’ Jin kissed him with a passion that burned like the spark of a soulmate's mark, despite not having his. ‘I love you Jin’ he said, his- woah. Linny what kind of stuff are you reading?” 

“Just give it back!” She reaches over your shoulder and you duck out of the way.

“No way we’re just getting to the good part.” You grin. “Blah blah blah, skip a few lines. Here we go. He passionately thrusted his erect member into her. She gasps, her-“ she takes the book from you, shutting it and putting it back on the shelf.

She doesn’t turn back around to face you and is now as red as a tomato. 

“So is that how you like it Lin?” You tease, wrapping your arms around her from behind. “Slow and passionate?” You brush some hair away from her neck to kiss it.

“I-I don’t know.” She stutters. “I told you, I never even finished it.”

“Then why were you so ready to take it away from me when I started reading?” You kiss her neck once more, this time further down. She can’t form a response. “I bet you reread it every night just when you come home from work.” One of your hands snakes down to her thigh where it lingers teasingly. You kiss her again, now at the junction between her neck and her shoulder. “You sit on the couch. Relax yourself a little. Maybe you touch yourself, right here.” You press into the heat between her legs.

You’re going to tease her more, maybe let it lead to something else, but she interrupts with a stuttering voice and a full force blush.

“I-I’m a virgin.” She blurts out. You pull away.

“You’re a what?”


	6. Shouting at The Abyss

She blushes as bright as you think you’ve ever seen anyone blush and scowls at the ground.

“Awe.” You recover from your shock enough to giggle. “Linny, that's adorable.” 

“It’s not adorable, it’s just plain sad.” She crosses her arms and still can’t look at you. 

“Were you waiting for me?” You ask. 

She doesn’t answer but does cross her arms tighter. 

You giggle again and bite your lip. 

“Come here.” You take her hands, forcing her to uncross her arms and wait for her to give in and look at you. “You are strong, and badass, and all those powerful things.” You tell her. “But you are also reserved. You don’t like to show that side of yourself. You need to learn how to let go and loosen up.” 

“I need to do no such thing.”

“Oh yeah?” You tease, swinging with her hands gently. Her blush had just started to calm.

“I’m an adult, Y/N.” She defends. “I’m grown enough to make my own decisions. Just because I haven’t…” she hesitates “you know. Doesn’t mean I’m some shy soft hearted weakling.”

“You can say the word sex, Lin.” You say. She blushes again and looks away. 

You chuckle and turn her chin to face you. “I want to do so many things to you.” You continue. “But in order to do them, you need to learn how to let these walls down and be perfectly imperfect.”

“I don’t  _ need  _ to be perfect.” She defends, looking back at you with a glare.

“Then why do you hate it so much when I force you to lose control?” You muse. “I’m a profiler, I read people for a living. It’s plain to see that the only reason you haven’t had sex yet is for the same reason you wanted me to leave before you kissed me. You’re afraid of being vulnerable.” 

“Can we go back to pretending I was waiting for my soulmate?” She glares harder.

“Nope.” You boop her nose. “I do like that I’ve found a weakness though.” You wink and let her go. “Get a jacket, we’re going to the woods.” You stroll to the door.

“Why are we-“

“Don’t ask questions.” You scold. You look over your shoulder at her with a smirk. “Or I’ll pin you to this wall, put this hand over your mouth,” you hold up a a hand “and use this one” you stick up your two middle fingers in a way that makes her blush even more. “To-“

“Alright, I get it!” She scoffs. 

It was so fun to embarrass her. Easy too. Maybe you’d continue to tease her for a few days before finally showing her your secret talents. You figured you should make it special. You would have to think on how.

She grabs her coat and meets you by the door. You open it with a bow.

“Right this way.” You joke. She rolls her eyes as she passes over the threshold. “Virgins first.” She stops and growls. You wink.

***

“Y/N, are we almost there yet?” She complains. “It’s freezing out here.”

“Oh chill out, you grump.” You stick your tongue out at her and she makes a face.

“We’re here.” You finish your trudge up the wooded hill and look out over the peak.

“Great.” She says sarcastically. “Where’s here?” She comes up next to you. 

You smirk and instead of explaining, just decide to show her.

You take a deep breath and cup your hands by your mouth so that your voice echoes out as far as it can go.

“LIN BEIFONG IS A VIRGIN!” You yell. 

She gasps and tackles you to the ground, putting a calloused hand firmly over your mouth. 

“You took me all the way out here to make fun of me?!” She was pissed off and blushing bad. If you didn’t know better, you’d think she was about to murder you. 

You laugh against her, unable to respond with the way she held your mouth. 

You lick her hand and she pulls away quickly, rubbing her palm on her pants.

“Ew!” She complains. “You’re disgusting!” 

You just laugh and sit up.

“I wasn’t making fun of you.” You explain. “Well, I was. But don’t worry, no one could hear your secret.” 

“What do you mean?” She growls. “You just screamed it as loud as you could!”

“Yeah. So?” You sit up and dust yourself off. You clear your throat and add your own little secret. “I’M AFRAID THAT I HAVEN’T BEEN THROUGH ENOUGH BAD STUFF TO JUSTIFY MY NEGATIVE EMOTIONS!” 

You look back at her. 

“See?” You smile. She stands and comes up to your side, hesitant but believing. 

“I didn’t know you felt that way.” She rubs her arm sheepishly.

“No one does.” You look out over the cliff. “Just me and the void.” 

There’s a silence before you turn to her again. 

“Go ahead.” You tell her. “Try it.” 

She blushes and looks around.

“I’m the only person here to make fun of you for looking stupid and I promise I won’t tell a soul.” You cross your heart and hold up a hand.

She takes a step closer to the edge. She looks back at you again. You offer a reassuring smile. She takes a deep breath and looks out over the edge.

“I…” she hesitates.

“Go on.” You praise. “Scream it to the void. It helps to get it off your chest.”

“I SOMETIMES FEEL INSANE BECAUSE THE PEOPLE IN MY LIFE ALL TELL ME I HAVE TO APOLOGIZE WHEN I KEEP THINKING THEY’RE THE ONES IN THE WRONG!” She shouts. 

The birds scatter at the power of her voice and she smiles.

“Spirits.” She covers her smile and laughs. “I can’t believe I just said that out loud.”

You force yourself to keep a smile as you approach her, but you’re hurt to hear what she just said.

Gaslighting.

You had no idea she was a victim of it.

You brush her hair back behind her ear and she turns her grin to you.

“Freeing, right?” You say. She nods frantically. 

“I can not tell you how good it feels to get that off my chest. You’re sure no one can hear us?” 

“I’m sure.” You nod. “It’s far enough off the hiking trail that no one should be around.” 

Seeing her so happy brings you a genuine smile.

You kiss her cheek. 

“Wanna do another one?” You ask.

She bites her lip and looks out then looks back at you and nods.

“Yeah.” She says. “I do.”

You smile and look into the forest below.

“I’M AFRAID OF CLOWNS!” You shout.

“I’M AFRAID OF OPENING UP!” She shouts. 

Oh that’s a lot deeper than clowns.

You continue to share your secrets and each time you’re more and more beat down by just how depressing her thoughts were. 

‘I feel like every failure is my personal fault.’

‘I don’t like getting attached to people because they always leave.’

‘I’m afraid that I’m not worthy of being loved.’

‘Sometimes I feel like I was only put on this planet to be a side plot in other people’s lives instead of living my own and that the only good I can do now is to sacrifice myself for them. That’s all I’m good for.’

It’s after this one that she looks particularly sad. You hate to see her this way.

You spin her around to face you and kiss her rough. 

She’s surprised and turns warm, no doubt blushing. You don’t stop.

She falls under the force of your kiss but you follow her to the ground, holding her face in your hands and biting down gently on her lip so that you can sneak your tongue into her mouth.

When you finally need air, you pull away.

“W-What was that for?” She stutters.

“You are perfect.” You say, looking directly into her green eyes. She tries to look away but you keep her head straight with your hands. “You are worthy. You are not a side plot, Lin. You are the main character.”

“No, I'm not.” She argues. “But that’s okay. I’ve made my peace with it.”

You kiss her again to shut her up.

“You are everything.” You tell her. “At least to me and you should be to yourself too. I love you.” She was red and silent, perfect. You look up back at the void. “I LOVE MY SOULMATE!”

You turn back to her and she’s still looking surprised. You smile and kiss her once more.

“Y/N…” she manages. She hesitates and bites her lip. “I love you too.” She smiles and pushes you back, kissing you as she sits up. She turns back to the forest. “I LOVE MY SOULMATE TOO!” She shouts. 

You laugh and pull her back into yet another kiss, this one not breaking for even air.


	7. When Will You Be Ready?

It became a weekly thing for the two you, to travel up to that cliff and scream out your frustrations. 

After you were done, you’d come back to her home and massage her shoulders and make her dinner. 

She would never admit it but she liked having someone take care of her. Slowly but surely she warmed up to you and last week she even started letting you stay the night. Still no sex though.

You were getting impatient.

You tried to be patient with her; you tried not to care. But it has been three months since you found her and still all you had done was kiss. 

Not to mention, she still wouldn’t let you tell anyone about you being together. 

What she didn’t know?

You had told someone. One person. She would kill you if she knew and double kill you if she found out who it was.

You hadn’t meant to tell Mako of all people but he was always ranting about his own love life that you felt bad acting like you didn’t understand what he was going through. Especially since his gossip was so juicy.

Apparently, the two of you were in the same boat. Kind of. His soulmate was the one wanting to shout it to the world however whereas he wanted to keep it quiet like Lin did.

“Now you see that’s what I don’t understand.” You had told him earlier today. 

It was a Saturday so you had off but Lin still had to work. So, with nothing else to do, it had become routine for you and your work friend to meet for brunch.

Of course, you always brought Lin something afterwards, pretending you were just dropping off paperwork.

“Why do you not want to talk about your soulmate?” You ask, biting into your bagel. 

“It’s not that I don’t want to.” He clarifies. “It’s just that.” He can’t find the words. “Look, he’s a lot to deal with is all and I’m afraid that after we come out about us he’ll become even more of a handful.” 

You were smiling and he didn’t seem to catch why.

“What?” He asks, cutting his omelet.

“You said he.” You muse. 

Every time he spoke about his soulmate he had used they/them pronouns. Now? It was a he.

“What?” He blushes. “No. I didn’t mean it like he like a guy. I mean-“

“Sounds like someone is in the closet.” You tease. “My soulmate’s not in the closet at least.” 

You sip your drink before continuing. “You should tell him how you’re feeling.” You say with a smile. “I’ll tell Wu when you tell Lin.” He presses. Jerk.

“Oh?” You decide to keep teasing him. “Is that your boyfriend's name?”

“Not so loud!” He looks around and you laugh.

***

Now, you’re back at home with Lin, sitting on the couch with her on the floor between your legs. Her back as to you so you could rub her bare shoulders. Though she was only in her bra, you knew from experience this wouldn’t lead anywhere more tonight.

Your mind can’t help but wander back to what Mako had said. 

“Hey Linny?” You start. 

She hums in response.

“I’ve been wondering…” you trail off. Ugh what were you doing? You were going to scare her off. What did Mako know? “Never mind.”

“I may not be a profiler like you.” She says. “But it’s obvious that something is on your mind. Tell me.” It was an order not a request. 

“Well.” You sigh. “I’ve been feeling,” you think about to word this. “Off.” 

“Off?” She sounds concerned.

You continue to rub her muscular shoulders firmly, comforted by the sensation but afraid it will soon come to an end.

“Yes.” You say. “Off. About us.”

“About us?” 

She pulls away from your hands so that she can turn to face you. Oh great, now she looked worried. Good job, Y/N.

“Y/N, is this because we haven’t slept together yet?” She asks.

“No!” You rush maybe a little too quickly. “No.” You say a little softer. “It’s not like that at all, Linny. We can get to all that in your own time. No rush.” 

She turns back around and your fingers find their way back to her tense shoulders.

“I just mean, it hurts me, Lin, to not be open about us.” You confess. You bite your lip, terrified that she’ll pull away. But she stays. 

“That’s all?” She chuckles. “You had me worried. To be honest, I’ve been thinking the same thing.”

“You have?” You’re so surprised that your hands freeze. 

“Yes.” She confirms. “I have. Quite honestly, I came to terms with our relationship’s inner workings months ago.”

“What?!” Now you take your hands back.

She gets up on the couch next to you, spreading her arms out along the back of it in a way that you normally would have found so sexy but now just pissed you off.

“You just got over it?” You glare. “Just like that?” 

You tried not to be annoyed but you know what? You deserved to be. 

Three months. Three months you had been killing yourself to keep this a secret and she didn’t even care? 

“Well the screaming helped.” She defends. “Y/N, are you angry with me right now?” She looks concerned again.

“Which screaming?” You ask. “The first one?”

“Y/N, I really didn’t mean to make you so-“

“The first one.” You laugh. She had just confirmed it hadn’t she? “The first time and you never told me? Didn’t think to say ‘hey, Y/N, you can kiss me in front of everyone now. Just thought you should know.’”

“Y/N.” She takes her arms off the back of the couch and sits forward, her face filling with more worry. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you felt so strongly about it.”

“Of course I feel strongly about loving you, Lin!” You snap. 

Your heart winces with pain at her hurt reaction and so you sigh and let your frustration go.

“I love you.” You tell her, hugging her close. “I just wish you had told me you were ready.” You pull away and kiss her gently.

“Well if that’s the case…” she trails off with a blush. 

“What is it, Linny?” You use the nickname again so she knows she’s not in trouble. 

“I think I’m ready for something else too.” She meets your eyes with a shy smile. 

Your breath hitches.

“Are you sure?” You ask. “Because you don’t have to be.”

She nods.

“I’ve been thinking about that a lot too. I just wasn’t sure how long you usually are supposed to wait. I didn’t want you thinking I was a slut or anything. But then it felt too long but you still didn’t mention it so I didn’t either.” She sighs. She reaches out to hold you, blushing but smiling into the blush. “I’m ready, Y/N. I want to have sex with you.”

She says it all with a smile. That damn smile.


	8. Lin's V Card

The setting was perfect.

Candles lit, music playing, and rose petals in a circle on the bed. Everything was all set for Lin, even you.

You had bought a nice set of lacy black and green underwear for the occasion and it was currently all you had on. You don’t mind. The air was warm.

This had to be perfect. Everything had to be perfect. She kept saying it didn’t but in your mind if it wasn’t perfect then you weren’t making up for the fifty one year wait. 

You climb onto the bed, adjusting your position for a bit until you’re both comfortable and sexy. Then, you call out to your love.

“Linny~” You call sweetly, your voice dripping like honey. “Are you almost ready?”

She was in the bathroom that is attached to this bedroom, getting ready herself. You giggle internally at the thought of her not knowing what to prepare. Regardless, she would be perfect. She was always perfect.

“Yeah.” She calls back. “Just...give me a minute.” She sounds hesitant which tells your profiler brain that she’s psyching herself up. 

You hope she doesn’t change her mind. However if she does, then there’s really nothing you can do but be there for her.

Still, selfishly, you would be disappointed.

Finally you were going to get to kiss down those chiseled abs. Finally, you were going to get to see her breasts and tell her that she had the best tits you have ever seen. You already knew she did, she was your soulmate after all.

You wait, your gaze softly directed towards the bathroom door. 

After a moment, she emerges.

Her arms are crossed tightly beneath her breasts that are only thinly veiled by the sheer lace fabric of her black bralette. Her tits are now unbound which makes them look larger than normal. Or, you guess, makes them look their correct size.

You have felt them against your back as she spoons your at night but that was always in the dark. This is the first time you’re truly seeing their size without her bindings.

Her head is turned away from you with a red blush that together with the yellow trim of her matching set brought a brightness to the room.

Her panties are a bikini style which surprises you at first because you know from the way they poke out of the top of her sweatpants that she normally wears boy shorts. You smile at the thought that she had gone out of her comfort zone just for you.

It’s not lost on you that her set was black and yellow, much like her uniform but the profiler in you doubts this was on purpose. She loves her job, yes, but this was probably just a subconscious pull towards the familiar color scheme. Regardless, it turned you on.

She glances your way, catches your eyes, then scoffs and looks away again.

“Stop gawking at me.” She scolds.

“No.” You breathe the word, reminding you of how stupid your dropped jaw must look right now. 

You shake away the surprised captivation and crawl to the edge of the bed. You sit with your knees pressed firmly into the mattress and your butt against your heels. You reach your arms out towards her, but she’s just slightly too far for you to hold.

“You look radiant, Linny.” You smile into your sentence.

She lifts her gaze to you once more and her blush grows.

“So do you.” She says.

She walks over into your arms.

Immediately, you pull her closer by her hips, peppering kisses on her abs. She gasps, followed by a groan.

“Y-Y/N.” She stutters. “N-Not so fast.” 

You pull away from your fun but keep your hands lingering on her hips. 

“You control the pace, Linny.” You promise. “Just tell me what you need.”

She nods shakily and takes a deep equally shaky breath. 

You lift off your heels to meet her face and lock her lips in a passionate kiss.

Thankful to be doing something she’s familiar with, Lin kisses you deeper. 

You pull her closer into the kiss as you lean back, helping guide her onto the bed.

When you pull away, you’re leaned back on an elbow with this amazing woman hovering over you. Her breathing is more like staccato panting and her face is still red and warm with her blush. 

You subtly lift your knee to brush her crotch and can’t hold back your gasp at how already she’s soaking through her panties. She really was a virgin. 

She blushes more at your touch which prompts you to once again smile past your surprise. 

You kiss her once quickly, placing a hand on her chest.

“Why don’t you lay down and get comfortable?” You half ask half order. 

You know from sneaking that book she’s been reading that she likes things slow and romantic, so you hold yourself back from just devouring her like an animal.

“Okay.” Her voice has a slight rasp to it.

She gets off of you and lays with her head on the silver silk pillowcase. Her legs spread naturally, giving you a better view of what awaits you below. 

You position yourself so that you’re straddling her with your weight low on her hips. 

You smile taking in every slight curve of her body with both your eyes and your wandering hands.

You only need to trace lightly with your fingers down her hourglass sides to earn you a gasp.

Teasing her abs by tracing them with a single loose digit is enough to make her whimper. She bites her lip to keep back the sound but she can’t keep back the way her body wiggles beneath your touch.

You chuckle lowly and dip your head down to kiss down her abs once more. You resist the urge to bite her, knowing just how slow she wants to take things.

You don’t linger, raising your head back up to full view quickly. 

“You're already so turned on, Lin.” Your say. 

Your use of her name gets her blushing more. 

Subconsciously, she grinds her hips up against your core. Spirits did it feel nice, but tonight was all about her.

“May I take your bra off, please?” You ask her, eager to get to what really had to be at least double D cups when unbound like this. 

She nods her head. You’re tempted to make her say it out loud but you know Lin and you know not to push her when she’s already feeling uncomfortable.

Slowly, you undo the front clasp. Next, you push the fabric off to the side so you can see in full view her perfect tits. 

“Wow…” The word escapes you. “My soulmate is so sexy.” You recover with the smooth on purpose sentence. 

You kiss the divit of her collarbone, trailing over to her shoulder where you slowly slip off the first strap. She helps you by raising her arm up off the bed. 

You do the same thing with the other side and when the straps are off, you pull the strip of lace out from under her now arched back and toss it aside.

“Your bra was very pretty.” You compliment. “But I think I prefer you without one.” You smirk.

“Y-Y/N.” Lin swallows. 

“Yes, my love?” You continue to tease her body with brushing fingers as you speak.

“C-Could you maybe, um, you know, like…” she trails off and can’t meet your eyes. 

“I don’t mean to tease you by saying this, Lin.” You start, taking her chin between two fingers and turning her to face you. She grows warmer against your hand. “But I can’t understand you if you don’t tell me exactly what you want.” You emphasize the word.

She swallows hard and you see her eyes drop from your face to your tits. Your smirk grows. You understand now, but you still want to hear her say it.

“I want to see your chest.” She manages. “I-If that’s okay. I just, um, well, you get to see mine and I-I want to see yours. Please.”

“How formal.” You chuckle.

“W-Was it too formal?” She blushes more and struggles not to look away. “I-I know that in the books” you perk up at the pluralization. “They are normally harsher with their wording. I never really liked how demanding that sounded. B-But, if you do, then-“

“Lin?” You question. 

“Hm?” She seems happy to shut up.

“Stop talking.” 

You lean down and kiss her, undoing your bra as you make out with her.

You pull away, a line of spit still connecting your mouths that only breaks when you’re back to fully sitting up.

Her eyes widen at the sight of your breasts. You chuckle and teasingly stick them out.

“Do you like what you see?” You ask her.

“Uh Huh.” She nods. “C-Can I touch you p-please?” 

“Linny, you don’t even have to ask.” You reply.

She reaches out and takes a tit in each hand, massaging them with her strong calloused fingers. You make a show of moaning at her touch so she knows she’s doing something good.

“Y/N, they’re so soft.” She sounds surprised.

You close your eyes and lean your head back, moaning more.

“Yes Lin.” You reply. “And they’re all yours.” 

You’re enjoying the sensation when out of nowhere you feel her tongue press against your left nipple. 

You gasp and your eyes open. She pulls away.

“Sorry.” She says. “Was that-“

You push her head back against you.

“N-No.” now you are the stuttering one. “Please keep going.”

She sucks on your tit, her teeth gently pulling at your nipple only to be quickly replaced by another flick of her tongue in a way that was just patterned enough to feel good but just unpatterned enough for you to not anticipate her next move. 

“Just like that.” You almost beg, pushing your chest out further towards her. “Ugh. Lin~” you moan.

You grind your wet cunt against her, earning you some groans that only made you grind harder.

“Mm~” she hums. 

She breaks away from your tit but doesn’t move to the next one which makes you whine slightly at the neglect. 

“Y/N,” she starts, looking you right in the eyes. “My, um, my vagina is very um, wet and I, well, I want you to um,”

You try not to laugh at her but seriously who says vagina in bed? You bite your lip against your smile and kiss her to shut her up.

“You want me to touch you?” You ask her.

“Y-Yes please.” She nods quickly.

You chuckle and kiss down her body, starting at her jaw until you’re finally by her panties. You have never in your life seen panties this wet before.

“Wow.” You breathe. 

You push her legs further apart and kiss the insides of her thighs. 

“I’m gonna need you to keep your legs spread for me, okay?” You tell her. She nods. “Just like this. Lay back and relax, Lin. You’ll feel so much better when you just let yourself lose control.”

She hesitantly lowers herself down flat. You take her panties off and spread her legs wider. 

She is freshly shaved, just for you, which you think is an adorable gesture. 

She is wet, just for you, soaking so bad that she has already ruined the sheets. 

She is a virgin, yours for the taking.

Her fluids drip down her thighs and onto the sheets, giving everything a neat shine. 

You run a single finger along her thigh to coat it in the sticky substance before brushing it lightly across her pussy from core to clit. 

She gasps a shaky gasp and whines.

“Do you know your anatomy, Linny?” You ask. She doesn’t respond but you can feel the sheets move under you as she grips them harder. 

“This?” You say, using your coated pointer finger to rub small circles on her clit. “Is the clit. It’s a bundle of nerves that just loves when I do this.” You aren’t quite getting the reaction you want. “Although some girls prefer this.” You increase the pressure and switch your movements to side to side. She moans loudly, her voice getting higher and higher in pitch with each sound. You smile.

You take your finger away and trace her opening. She’s so ready for you that her pussy already tries to suck you in. You resist, for now.

“And this?” You say. “This is your core. It’s what gets filled up. It feels so~ good when it gets filled, Lin.” 

She wiggles her hips and whines some more but you don’t let her get off just yet. You know after you enter her it will only be a matter of time and you want this to drag out as long as it possibly can. 

Without warning, you lick with the flat of your tongue all the way up her slit, pulling away when you reach the clit so that nothing but the tip of your tongue flicks this sensitive spot. 

She moans. So you continue. 

She tastes so good.

Her hands find your hair where she then tugs roughly. You groan and pull away from her. 

“You’re such a good girl, Lin.” The sentence is natural and it seems to do the trick. 

“Y/N, I-I want you in me.” She begs. 

“Okay, Linny.” You take her hand off your hair and kiss the palm. “This might take some adjustment, so just bare with me and tell me when you’re ready to move. Okay?” 

“O-Okay.” She says.

Her hand moves back to the sheets.

You circle her opening once more before slowly pushing your finger inside. She gasps into a long moan. You don’t move, not until she gives you permission. You kiss and bite her thighs while you wait.

“I-I think you can move now.” She orders, grinding her hips against you. 

You match her pace, moving your finger slowly in and out of her oh so tight pussy. It throbs against you, eager to keep you inside.

As you do, your soulmate mark begins to burn with an unfamiliar yet divine sensation. No doubt it was now even darker with the milestone.

“Oh Lin~” You groan. 

“Y/N~” She moans back. “G-Go faster!” The urgency in her voice seems to surprise her but you oblige her request. 

You push into her faster and slightly harder. 

“Y-Y/N?” She asks nervously. 

“Is everything okay Lin?” You slow. “Do you want me to stop?” 

“N-No.” she rushes. “Please don’t stop. I, um, t-there’s something I got for you. For today. I guess you have to stop to get it. I, um,...” she swallows hard. 

You pull out of her and climb up to reach her face. 

“What is it, love?” You kiss her lips gently. She blushes at tasting herself.

When you pull away she throws an arm over her eyes, but this does little to hide the rest of her cherry red face.

“T-There’s a box, I-in the closet. Just. Just go get it, please.” She stutters, half growling in her embarrassment.

Now you are intrigued. What does the esteemed and oh so polite in bed Chief Lin Beifong have in store for you? 

You kiss her once more before rising from the bed and heading to the closet.

You make a show of walking over, shaking your ass slightly in her direction which gets her to scoff in such a cute way. 

“Your butt looks good.” She says very matter of fact as if she didn’t realize she was drawn to it for a reason.

“Thanks.” You muse, opening the closet door. “Your wet hot pussy tastes amazing.” You wink over your shoulder and catch her turning even more red at your words.

“S-shut up.” She covers her eyes again. “J-just get the damn thing please.” 

You chuckle and turn your attention back to the closet. 

There’s a box there that you recognize as the packaging from a sex shop down on Main Street. 

Awe, had she really been caught dead in a sex shop for you?

It was fun to imagine stick in the mud Lin venturing out of her comfort zone to get something you could please her with. A sick part of you kind of hopes the cashier recognized her. How hilarious it would have been to see her blush then.

You shut the closet door and take your gift back to the bed, sitting down before you open it.

Your breath hitches when you see it.

Inside the box was a green leather strap on harness with black and gold metal adjustments and a large black dildo.

You raise your brows and her. Sensing this, she peeks out from under her arm. She catches your teasing expression and blushes more, rehiding her eyes.

“I’m sorry. I-if you don’t want to-“ she starts, cut off by your kiss.

“I would love to use this on you, Lin.” You tell her.

You push her arm away from her face so you can catch sight of those shimmering emerald eyes. 

“Really?” She offers a sheepish smile. 

“Definitely.” You chuckle, kissing her once more. “I have to admit, I’m honored that you went into a sex shop for me.” You tease.

“Well…” she blushes more and smiles. “I guess you have me pretty much wrapped around your finger at this point.” She bites her lip. “There’s um...I mean if you’re okay with it, there’s a second box.”

“Oh?” You smirk. 

Her smile falters as she grows more embarrassed. 

“I-It’s just something I’ve learned from, um, my research, that I might be into maybe.” She looks away from you. 

You bite your lip to hold back a laugh. Research?

“And what might this mysterious other item be, Linny?” You ask her.

“J-just go get it and see.” She demands.

You follow your instructions and sure enough find the second, smaller, box. You once again bring it to the bed to open it.

Inside amongst the light pink tissue paper was a buckle collar in the same soft leather as your harness.

You raise it up with two fingers and smirk as you examine it.

This wasn’t a normal collar. This had a pull strap on one side so that you could give your partner varying degrees of pressure on their neck. There of course was a safety so you couldn’t pull too hard. The thought of either one of you wearing this turned you on.

“Is this for you or for me?” You ask her.

“F-for me.” She clears her throat. “I-I like the pressure. I mean I do when I’m alone and um I saw that when I went to the shop and, um, well, I thought, maybe…” she trails off, embarrassed by her embarrassment. 

“You are so kinky, Lin.” You tease.

“W-we don’t have to use it if you’re uncomfortable.” She declares rather matter of fact. “It was just a thought.”

“I would  _ love  _ to hear you moan my name as you choke.” You say. She lifts her eyes to meet you. “Does me saying that turn you on, Lin?” She nods. 

“I-it does.” She agrees. “A lot.”

“Then come here so I can put it on you.” You order.

She sits up slightly, using her hands to hold herself up. 

You brush back her hair to make sure none of it catches under the collar. You want her to be as comfortable as possible.

You buckle it in place and set the safety to the right place. Then, she lays back down and you ready your strap.

Once all the setup work is done and the boxes have been thrown aside, you position yourself back between her legs. You need to remind her to spread her legs wide with a gentle nudge of your knee. 

She didn’t have lube but she was so wet that you don’t think it will matter much.

“Are you ready, love?” You ask. 

You toy with the long end of her collar, wrapping it around your hand so you could pull it tight easier. 

“Y-yes.” She stutters out with a nod. “P-please, Y/N. Put it in me.”

“Tell me to fuck you.” You are at your peak now and need her to stop with the formal tone. 

“Fuck me...?” It’s almost a question but it will do.

In one motion you thrust hard into her and tug up on the slip collar’s strap to tighten it. 

She shrieks out a moan that gets muffled by the pressure on her throat. 

You wait for her to adjust to the toy’s size. 

“Tell me when, Lin.” You kiss away a few tears that threatened to fall at the corners of her eyes. “I’m sorry if that was too rough. I’m just so excited to be with you.”

“It wasn’t, too, mm~” she wiggles her hips. 

“Can’t form words already, huh?” You chuckle.

“M-move. Please.” She asks. “Fuck me.” She remembers your phrase.

You hold even pressure on the collar as you slowly buck your hips in and out of her. 

Out of the corner of your eye you catch her flicking her wrist like she’s bending. You wonder what she could possibly be doing when you realize that the toy has a metal core. Oh she was so god damn perfect. 

“Are you used to bending to get what you want?” You ask, quickening your pace. 

She manages a nod. 

“Is that how you use your toys when you’re alone?” You tease. 

She moans in response, grinding against you to try and get you to go quicker. 

“Let me take the lead.” 

You grab her wrist and pin that hand above her head. She instinctively raises the other arm too and you hold them both down with one firm grip.

“Say my name, Linny~” you ask. You loosen the collar slightly so that she can.

“Y/N~” she moans. 

You quicken your pace still, thrusting fast and hard into her and using your thumb to rub her clit in that way she likes. 

She becomes a moaning mess, panting and gasping, and wiggling beneath your grip.

“Tell me how you feel.” You demand.

“I-I feel- ugh!” She groans as you hit just the right spot. “R-Right there!” She begs.

You thrust again and again, lifting her right leg up against your shoulder where you hold it with the same hand that holds the collar so that you can continue to hit her g spot.

“Lin~” you moan. 

“Y-Y/N, I think I’m gonna~”

“Cum for me Lin.” You say.

You tighten the collar just slightly so that it’s nearly at the safety. This does it for her.

She cums loudly with a stream of muffled gagging moans, all over your new dick. 

You slow your pace but continue to pump into her through her aftershocks until her legs finally stop twitching.

You pull out of her, let go of the collar, and fall into her heaving chest. 

You lay together for a moment as you both try desperately to catch your breath.

“So?” You finally ask, kissing her cheek. “How does it feel to not be a virgin anymore?” 

“It feels amazing, Y/N.” She breathes. “I-I’ve never actually, finished, before. It’s great.”

“You’re welcome for that.” 

You kiss her cheek once more then her lips, living for this moment.

She pulls from the kiss and brings your arm to her lips, pressing a soft plump kiss against your soulmate’s mark.

“Does it burn a little for you too?” She asks. You smile more and nod. “I’m sorry that I covered mine.” She seems genuine. “If I knew this what love would feel like I never would have.”

“Fuck the past.” You tell her. “Just love me in the present.”


	9. The Psycho Next Door

Stakeouts are boring.

That’s what you’ve decided, anyway. Lin seemed very much into tirelessly staring out this motel room window in hopes the man in the room across from you will move his curtains an inch or confess to his evil plot. Thus far, it has been a whole lot of nothing.

“Remind me again why I had to come alone to this.” You complain.

You dramatically collapse behind her hair, wrapping your arms around her and landing with your forehead on her shoulder. You groan.

She doesn’t flinch, eyes still focused forward on the desk telescope she was using to watch him. 

“I believed having a profiler on the case might help things go faster.” She tells you.

“Oh so you want me to profile?” 

You look up and turn the telescope away from her so you can look into it. She growls in defiance, already knowing you’re being sarcastic.

“Well based on the way he hasn’t moved those same motel curtains since we got here and the fact that we already know his girlfriend just dumped him, I’d say he’s cried himself to sleep. Wow. Shocker.” You roll your eyes and spin the thing back around to her. 

“HIs girlfriend didn’t just break up with him.” She corrects with a glare. She turns her attention back to the telescope, adjusting it back to how it was. “She left him for his boss, a notorious Triad leader.” 

“Yeah yeah.” You wave a hand. “But this guy’s a wimp. He’s like five feet tall and scrawny. He’s not hurting anyone but maybe himself. Watching him is a waste of time.”

“How can you be so sure?” She wasn’t really asking but you answer anyway.

“I do this for a living.” You whine with a roll of your eyes.

“I know.” She smirks slightly and side eyes you. “I sign your paychecks.”

You smile at her. She drops into a frown and goes back to the telescope.

“Well I’m bored.” You start with your teasing tone.

You make your way over to the bed and flop down on your back, arms folded behind your head.

“You could try doing some work.” She says. “That is why we’re here.”

“Hm.” You feign deep thought. “The perp is a female, mid 20s, deep routed daddy issues who-”

“Shova Gin.” She interrupts. “Head of the Spider Snakes. We arrested her last year after using her father to draw her out of hiding.”

“Very good.” You smile over at her. “I was impressed by that, by the way. Even before we met you were inspiring me with stunts like that one.”

She blushes.

“Give me another one.” She asks. 

“Hm.” Now you really have to think. “Okay I’ve got it. The perp is male, 40s, killed his wife and children after hearing voices that-”

“Dai Chi.” She interrupts.

“Guess again.”

“What?” She scoffs. “It has to be Dai Chi. He thought the spirits were talking to him through his neighbor’s crocokitten.”

“Ah but if you had let me finish you’d know it was Hiro Ito.” You tell her. “Because his motivation was not spiritual, but rather guilt over an ex mistress he had murdered a month prior after she threaten to tell his wife about the affair.”

“That one wasn’t fair.” She complains like a child. 

“Yes it was.” You laugh. “You just didn’t let me finish.

“Give me another one.” She demands.

“Okay, okay.” You try to think but all you can think about right now is her. “This one isn’t a criminal, but it’s someone you know.”

“Interesting.” She smiles a little. 

“Female. Older. Mommy and daddy issues that lead to self doubt. Refusal to admit to either issues.”

She turns to you with a tight scowl and crossed arms.

“I do not have mommy and daddy issues.” She scolds.

“Then how did you know it was you?” You chuckle, sitting up. She doesn’t respond because she can’t argue your point. “Besides, if you don’t have mommy issues then why are you always referring to your mother as ‘the chief’ instead of ‘mom’ or her name?”

“That’s…” She stutters. “None of your business.” She finally manages to find the end of her sentence.

“Mhm.” You wiggle your eyebrows.

“Ugh.” She growls. “Why did my soulmate have to be a damn therapist of all things?”

“Criminal profiler.” You correct. “But I still have the psych degree.” 

You lay back down. 

“Any movement yet?” You ask her.

“No.” She sighs.

“Come lay with me?” You pout.

“No.” She says again.

“Please?” You whine. “I bet I can be more fun than watching a static curtain.” 

You hear the chair slide back and smile more. Soon enough she’s holding herself up above you with a smile.

“Needy.” She teases. 

“Yeah.” You smile back. “Only for you, my love.” 

She rolls her eyes and kisses you deeply. You kiss her back with a hungry passion. She pulls away after only a few minutes, resisting your silent pleading with her to stay. 

“No~” You complain. “Don’t go back to working. That’s no fun. Stay with me.”

“I’m sorry, Y/N, but criminals don’t wait just because you’re horny.” She pulls fully off of you and sits on the edge of the bed.

“This one does.” You say.

You crawl up behind her and wrap your arms around her form.

You kiss her neck, nipping and sucking at it to make a mark.

“You know I’m your boss, right?” She tries to fight her encroaching smile. 

“I know you’re sexy.” You muse.

You move to her jaw. She tilts her head for you subconsciously. 

“You’re supposed to be working.” She reminds you. “I could have you fired.”

“You can’t fire me.” You chuckle, moving to another new spot. “You tried already, remember?”

“That time I didn’t have a reason.” She says, now giving into her grin. 

“Come on, Linny, that man hasn’t moved in six hours.” 

You grab her chin and turn her head to face you. You kiss her lips gently and she groans. 

“Let me fuck you.” You ask.

She thinks it over, her emerald eyes gazing into yours. 

“You’re a pain in my ass, you know that?” She growls. 

You smile wider, knowing that was a yes.

She kisses you hungrily, pushing you down hard on the bed. 

She had gotten a lot more comfortable in her own sexuality these past two weeks since you had taken her virginity. Now, she always seemed to know what she wants and its almost always rough. 

You giggle as she trails kisses down your jaw, then neck. 

She pulls away, still pinning you with her weight on your waist. 

“Hold still.” She commands.

You do as you’re told. She uses her metal cables like a whip to cleanly rip open the front of all three of your layers without so much as brushing your skin. She just has that much control. 

Your breath hitches and your brows raise. She smirks with pride.

“You know that was my uniform, right?” You tease.

“I’ll get you another one.” She shrugs.

“Spirits, I love you.” You shake your head and pull her back down for another kiss. 

She pulls your bra down and begins to fondle your breasts. 

“Mm~” You moan into the kiss. 

She takes your pleasure as a sign to move her lips back to your neck. She continues to pinch and tease your hardening nipples as she leaves marks all over your neck. Your stomach does summersaults.

You pull her by her hair away from you so she has to look you in the eyes while you speak in a sultry voice.

“Take your damn uniform off so I can fuck you properly,” You order.

She blushes brightly and nods, sitting up and getting to work bending her armor off. 

She may have gained confidence, but she is still a total bottom. 

You switch places so that you’re now the one straddling her. You take off the remnants of your undershirt, top, and jacket, leaving your bra pulled down under your bust where she has left it. 

She doesn’t take her eyes off of you as she pulls off her tanktop leaving her only in her bindings. She fiddles with her belt, cursing under her breath because she just can’t get it off fast enough. Then she undoes the button and metal bends down her zipper.

She lays down fully, ready for you to take her..

“Oh no.” You smirk and shake your head. “Bindings too.” 

“But, Y/N-” 

You cut her off.

“Bindings too.” You demand again. 

She likes to complain that her tits are too big to fit into her armor when unbound but you have absolutely no sympathy. You love her chest. One of your favorite parts of fucking her is watching her tits bounce with the rhythem as you thrust into her with your fingers or toy or tongue. 

She begrudgingly starts to unwind the wrappings. She’s going too slow. 

You grab her wrists and pin them above her head. 

“Y/N, what are you-” You cut her off this time with a kiss.

You smirk and lower your mouth to her bindings. You pull at the thing gauze like fabric with your teeth until you finally rip the top enough that you can use your hands to rip them the rest of the way down the front.

“You ripped my top, I’ll rip your bindings.” You explain.

You get to work right away grabbing at her spirit sent tits. You roll her right nipple between your fingers while you suck her left tit, pressing into the hardening bud with your tongue.

She moans loud then goes warm with a blush. 

She gasps here and there but you can tell just how hard she’s trying to be quiet; Can’t be caught fucking on her job.

After a few moments you switch your hand and your mouth, loving the feeling of her in your mouth.

She continues to fight back all noise and it’s not long before you feel her wiggling her hips beneath you. 

You pull off her breast and kiss her deep. You catch a hint of the unmistakable taste of blood. You run your tongue along her bottom lip to find the source. When you do, you pull away.

“Poor Linny.” You tease. 

She tries to hold your waist but as soon as her hands make contact, you’re back to pinning her hands above her head. 

“You’re trying so hard to be quiet like a good girl.” You say.

You kiss her again, sucking on her lip as you pull away and drawing out more blood.

“Would you like me to help you with that?” You smile. She nods. “Use your words, honey.”

“Y-Yes, Y/N.” She still gets all stuttery when you force her to speak in bed. It’s so cute.

“Okay, I’ll help you stay quiet.” You tell her. “But I’m going to need you to keep your hands up for me, okay?” She nods quickly. 

You kiss her once more before letting go of her hands and sitting up.

You take a moment to relish in this sight, your beautiful naked soulmate, breathless, red, and vulnerable below you. Her mouth is open, tongue stuck slightly out. You have never experimented with gags before, but it seems that she knows what you’re going to do and that she’s ready for it.

You take one of the long binding strips and use it to tie her hands tight to the paneled headboard of the motel bed.

“Is that too tight, Linny?” You ask with a gentle kiss.

“No.” She breathes. “I-It’s, um,” She hesitates. “Is there anyway you could make it tighter?”

You nod and tighten your knots. 

“Like that?” You ask.

She struggles and then smiles.

“Yeah.” She says. “Just like that.”

“Can I gag you with the same stuff?” You ask her, picking up another strip. “It’s a little scratchy.” 

“Do I look like the kind of woman who can’t handle scratchy fabric?” She asks. “I wear this shit on my breasts all day. I-” She’s cut off when you shove some of the balled up fabric into her mouth. 

She gags against it, tears slipping down from her eyes. Then she smiles and moans slightly to let you know it feels nice. 

You smile back and kiss away her leaking watery eyes. 

You use another strip around her head to hold the balled fabric back so she will just slightly choke. 

“Still okay?” You ask her. She nods frantically and wiggles her hips again. “Not quite yet, love, we still need a safety signal.”

“Hmph~!” She complains with a glare.

“Well you can’t very well be screaming our safe word through a gag.” You cross your arms.

You and Lin had a traffic light system. Yellow means, this is nice but slow down and red means I don’t like this switch to something else. 

You also had a fuck you word, one that luckily you hadn’t had to use yet. If either of you said that word it was a sign for the other to not only stop what you were doing but that sex was over. Because of this, it needed to be a turnoff word. Something that would act like dumping cold water over the both of you. You had decided on her ex’s name. 

“Hm, Mhm hmph!” She continues to protest and wiggle.

You can’t help but giggle at her.

“What about…” You think. “One tap with two fingers for yellow light, two taps with two fingers for red, and then, just punch me really hard across the face for our fuck you word, okay?” You’re half joking about the last one.

“Hmm~!” She nods.

She throws her head back and continues to wiggle with stifled demands. You chuckle once again.

You kiss down her chiseled stomach to the waist of her pants. Once there, you pull them down instantly. She raises her hips to help. 

“Dirty girl.” You gasp at the sight of her lacey black panties. They are the same ones as before; Her sexy set that she only wore for you.

You hook a teasing finger under the middle part of the underwear and pull it slowly back towards yourself, brushing lightly over her cunt.

“Hmph~!” She protests with a blush.

She pulls against her restraints to try and inch her wet pussy closer to you.

“Okay, I hear you.” You chuckle. 

You pull her panties all the way off and toss them to the side.

She arcs her back and this time you let her push into your face.

You press hard against her with your tongue as she moves up and down and back and fourth.

“Hm Mph!” She chokes.

“Hm?” You suck on her clit and hum.

“Mph!” She protests. 

She lets out a low growl as she tries to figure out a way to tell you what she needs.

She wraps her legs around you and uses her hold to pull you closer.

You try sticking your tongue inside of her and she gasps against her gag into a moan. You can tell she’s nodding frantically.

You curl your tongue inside of her, gripping a breast with one hand and letting the other travel to your own soaking pussy.

She grinds harder while you both moan uncontrollably, hers stifled by the bindings.

You want to keep touching yourself but she needs to finish and you know she needs her clit stimulated to do that. You debate between your hands and silently wish for a third. 

You end up keeping your tit hand where it is and moving the other one to her clit to rub harshly side to side like you have learned she likes. She shrieks in a way that you just  _ know  _ would have been so loud without that fabric in the way. 

Your finger was already coated with your own sticky fluids and now it was getting a new layer in hers. 

She’s at her edge now, just about to cum, when-

**_Bang!_ **

The gunshot shocks you into pulling away from her. 

You’re both silent with shock, jolted into movement by another-

**_Bang!_ **

“Hmph!” She kicks your shoulder hard.

“Yeah, I know!” You rush, rubbing your shoulder.

You frantically untie the band around her mouth and help her spit out the gags.

**_Bang!_ **

“Hurry!” She orders. 

“I know! I know!” You growl back.

Your fingers shake against the knots that are holding her hands in place. 

_ Gunshots.  _ You think.  _ Those are fucking gunshots! _

**_Bang!_** ** _  
_** “Fucking Tenzin, Y/N!” She shouts, continuing to struggle against you but now for a new reason.

“I fucking know!” You shout back. “The f-fucking knots, I-shit-just, hold on a minute!”

**_Bang!_** ** _  
_**_Profiling is a desk job. I’m not supposed to be here. I’ve never heard gunshots before. That one sounded closer. Was that one fucking closer?!_

You finally get the knots undone and she wastes no time shoving you aside.

You’re visibly shaking on the bed, unsure what to do. 

**_Bang!_** ** _  
_** You take a que from her redressing and pull your bra back up over your breasts. 

_ My shirts are ripped. I’m going to die with my shirts fucking ripped. _

**_Bang!_** ** _  
_** She gets her armor back on in seconds and is now rushing out the door.

_ Should I follow her? I should follow her. _

You will yourself forward but your legs don’t move. 

**_Bang!_ **

“Hey!” You hear her shout from outside.

_ She’s out there. My soulmate is fucking out there with that maniac! I need to help her. _

“Let’s talk this out.” She continues. “Just, put the gun down and we’ll talk all about it.”

_ Lin, he’s not going to listen to that. You can’t talk him down. The profile, he’s going to kill everyone here. How did I miss it? He’s going to kill everyone here and then himself. _

_ If you keep talking… _

Your breath catches,

If she doesn’t move he’ll kill her too.

That’s enough to get your legs working again. 

You rush out the door and everything moves in slow motion.

She starts to turn to you the second you rush into the yard, panic in her face. 

He has his gun trained at her head, his finger on the trigger. He looks at you too.

“Wait!” You call.

They finish their turns as you finish your word.

_ His girlfriend. The one that left him. She was his soulmate. That’s why he’s so sad. He believes in soulmates. _

“She’s my soulmate!” You continue to grow closer to them.

“Y/N, wa-” She starts.

He turns the gun to himself as she speaks, nodding as his finger twitches just slightly and then -

**_Bang!_** ** _  
_** It’s what draws her attention back to him, her face now sprayed with a thick sticky crimson.

Tears fall from your eyes and you stop in your tracks while everything speeds back up to a regular pace.

You sob wordlessly, thankful she’s okay as she just stands there, in shock.

His body falls to the ground and drops the gun. Thankfully the gun doesn’t go off. 

His head was everywhere. Pieces of skull and skin and brain all over the ground. 

His blood paints the bodies of his eight limp victims, each killed by their respective shot. 

You can’t see her front but you know from the slicked back edges of her hair that she too is covered in the remnants of this sick sick man.

“L-Lin…” You inch your way closer. No response.

You can hear her muttering to herself and though you can’t hear her exact words you know she’s blaming herself. 

“Linny, a-are you okay?” 

You’re right behind her, so close you could hold her. But you don’t hold her. You’re scared. Terrified. Chilled to the bone.

“I-” You barely get the word out before you touch her hand and the second you do things happen in a flash.

If you had blinked, you would have missed what just happened. 

She spins into your touch with a growl, shoving you back and letting loose a cable. 

You see the black line grow closer before all you can see out of your right eye is dark dark red. 

Your scream hits your ears before the pain hits your nerves. 

You grab your eye and nearly fall to the ground as you stagger back further.

“Y-Y/N!” She sounds panicked. She should be.

“S-Stay away from me!” You back up, unsure of where she is but knowing she’s to your right. 

You try to blink out the blood but when you do you feel the swell of your eye bulging and can’t help but fear it will fall out.

You recover it.

“I’m so sorry.” She rushes. You step back because you know her and you know she just stepped forward. “I-I didn’t mean to-” She’s cut off into a scream of her own and you know why.

Your left forearm has an audible hiss as it burns deeper than you’ve ever felt it burn before. It burns cold in your veins, contrasting the heat you felt when you took a new step with her.

You have trouble dictating which pain is worse and thus which to focus on, your arm or your eye.

It blazes over into a smooth minty chill. 

You raise your arm to your good eye and catch on one of your sobs. Tears fall for you but it’s nothing to the way she cries.

“No…” She sobs. 

You look to the side to see her just as she’s falling to her knees. Her eyes were on you and now they fall to her own arm. 

Her soulmate’s mark, as it got darker, had become slightly visible beneath her tattoo. Now, there was no sign of it at all.

“No!” She shrieks. “No! No! NO!” She repeats, clawing at her forearm with her other hand.

She hates being emotional in public but who was around to see it? The other guests cowering in their rooms? The cops that had yet to show up? 

The corpses of that psycho man and all of his victims?

She cries and cries, the tears running fresh clear rivers through the bits of brain and blood and skill that covered her face. 

“No!” She keeps repeating it, choking more with each and every sob.

It hurts to cry so you sniff and drop your now bare arm back to your side.

“Congratulations.” You shake your head and try to ignore the pain in your own heart.

She looks up at you, sniveling like a heartbroken toddler. 

“You got what you wanted.” You continue. “You don’t have a soulmate anymore.”

Another solitary tear drips from your good eye but it does nothing to fix this new hole in your heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this is the angstyist thing I've ever written to date. *Innocent smile*


	10. Fixing Your Eye

“I won’t be returning to the city after I heal.” You say.

You set down a manilla file on the president’s desk.

“The report is in there and behind it is my official resignation.” You continue. “I’ll show up for the trial and do my part, but I’m afraid I’m done working for you and for the city.” 

She doesn’t reach for the folder. Instead she keeps her folded hands under her chin and her pensive eyes on you.

When she finally decides you’re not going to change your mind, she breaks the silence.

“I’m sorry to see you go.” She says. 

She sighs and picks up the file. Flipping through the report, she continues to speak.

“I suppose it’s understandable after everything you went through. Profiler’s aren’t normally in the filed so trauma like that was never supposed to be part of the deal. I do wonder, though, if you don’t mind me asking, how will this be affecting things between you and Chief Beifong?” 

She flicks her eyes up at you.

“Well, that’s personal ma’am.” You manage through your stagger.

She looks back down to scan the report.

“I just want to make sure I don’t have to replace my profiler  _ and  _ my chief of police.”

She didn’t know. 

“I’m sorry.” You shake away your surprise. “I thought you knew. You’ve debriefed with her already, yes?” She nods. “She didn’t mention…” You trail off. 

She sets the file down with gentle care and looks up to you with the genuine worry of a friend.

“Is everything okay, Y/N?” She asks.

“The Chief and I are no longer soulmates, ma’am.” You say.

You bow your head half out of respect and half to escape her eyes.

“Oh.” She sits up a little straighter. “I’m sorry to hear that. I understand now why you wish to leave.”

“It’s all in the report.” You say, just wanting to get out of here already. “If you have any questions, please, feel free to ask me. But refer to that first. I don’t want to keep reliving that day. The past two days have been hell with that already.”

“I understand.” She nods. “If you ever wish to return to your position for any reason, please let me know.”

“Yes ma’am.” You nod. “I will. Thank you for the opportunity.” 

She rises and offers a hand. You shake and just before she pulls away she adds one more thing.

“I’m sorry about your eye.”

“Thank you.” You say. “But that won’t heal it.”

You turn for the door and she stops you at the last minute.

“One more thing before you go.” 

“Yes, ma’am?” You don’t turn. 

Tears are pressing against your bandages already and if she asks one more question about Lin you’re going to lose it. 

“In your report it says there were nine killed? Lin’s report said eight. You need to decide on a unified number before we can present the case.”

“Lin’s wrong.” you say over your shoulder. “Nine people died. She just doesn’t count the suspect as a person.”

***

You almost turn around when you see her. Almost.

Cornering you at the docks? Was she serious?

“Please move, I don’t have time to deal with this.” You try to step past her but she steps back in your way.

“Y/N, please.” Lin says. “I just want to see how you’re doing. We haven’t talked since the accident.”

Her eyes glisten with tears, causing a sharp pain to pulse through your heart. 

“Accident?’ You scoff. “You have so much control, Lin. There is no way that was an accident. You did this on purpose.”

“I only meant to restrain you.” She argues.

“That’s awfully high aim for merely restraining somebody.” You glare as best you can with one eye covered. “Just move out of my way. Now.” You don’t bother with a please.

“Y/N, please, we’re soulmates.” She continues, still standing in your way. “We can get past this.”

“Not anymore we’re not.” You shake your head with a click of your tongue.

“I still love you.” 

“I-” You hesitate. 

Do you still love her?

“You hurt me. Bad.” You hiss. “They say they don’t know if my eye can be saved. That’s the whole reason I’m about to go freeze my ass off in the South Pole. You won’t even admit that you meant to do it!”

“I was angry with you, but I never meant to-” 

“Why the flameo were you angry with me?!” You half laugh. 

“Why was I angry?” She recoils. “You distracted me and ended up getting eight people killed!”

“It was nine people.” You growl. “But don’t you dare make that my fault.”

“Then whose fault was it, Y/N?” She crosses her arms tight. “I’m willing to look past your mistake but you’ve got to fess up to it.”

“My mistake?!” This time you do laugh. “Get the fuck out of my way, Lin.”

“No. I-”

You shove her back with both hands and walk past her.

“Y/N!”

“What are you gonna do?” You call over your shoulder as you board your boat. “Take my other eye out?” 

“You’ll come back!” She barks. “You have to.” That part was almost a whisper but you still hear it.

As you sail away, you watch her hold her forearm close and let some tears begin to fall. 

It hurts you to look, so you turn away.

***

“Y/N Y/L/N?” One of the healing women calls you over from where you’re waiting on a bench.

“That would be me.” You sigh, walking towards her. 

Sometimes, you really hate being a profiler. Now, being able to see the worry behind this woman’s smile as she looked at your uncovered eye was one of those times.

“It’s bad, isn’t it?” You ask. 

You feel your heart sink deeper into your chest.

“Let’s try to think optimistically.” She says. 

“Like how I’ll have a really cool eye patch?” You joke.

“That, and how your sense of humor seems to have remained unharmed.” She winks with a laugh of her own.

“I’d roll my eyes at you, but, you know.” You joke back. 

It feels good to laugh.

“Let’s get you in to se my mother.” She says. “She’s the best healer there is and we’re going to need the best for Lin’s soulmate.”

You take a step back and your smile instantly drops.

“How did you know I’m Lin’s soulmate?” You ask. 

That day begins to flash before you once again, sparked by your raising adrenaline levels. 

“She called us to say you were coming.” The woman raises an eyebrow. “Is everything alright? Do you want me to get her on the phone for you?”

“No!” You rush a bit too quickly. 

You remember the blood. All that blood. 

You take a shaky breath to calm yourself before explaining.

“I just...Lin and I, we’re not soulmates anymore.” You tell her. “My mark disappeared after she was the one that did this to my eye.” The woman audibly gasps. “It burned. Bad. But it was different. It was almost,-”

“Cold.” She finishes for you. “My mark felt the same way before it disappeared.”

“I’m so sorry.” You try to offer some reassurance. “Did something happen between you and your soulmate?”

“She killed herself.” She says. “My wife. I felt the cold burning on my shoulder blade and rushed home as quick as I could. I was the one that found her.”

“Spirits.” You mutter. “I’m sorry that happened to you.” You aren’t sure what else to say.

“I’m sorry what happened with Lin happened to you.” She lets out a breath and regains her smile. “Don’t worry about me. You have lots of healing to do so focus on yourself.”

“Hard to do that now that I know you’re one of Lin’s friends.” You chuckle, smiling back at her.

“Well, I wouldn't say we’re friends.” She crosses her arms and smirks at her own thoughts. 

“More than that?” You raise a brow.

“What?” She laughs and drops her arms back down. “No. Sorry. I was just thinking back to the time she absolutely destroyed my home.”  
“Don’t take it personally.” You laugh. “I didn’t even do anything before she absolutely destroyed my eye.”

“Oh, I don’t. It was hilarious and just.” She chuckles a little more, wiping a tear from her eye. 

“Just?” 

She calms herself down and shrugs.

“Yeah.” She says like it’s nothing. “My brother really did a number on her so-”

“Brother?” You gasp. Your hand goes to cover your mouth. “I know who you are.” You try to hold it back but you laugh anyway. “I’m such an idiot. Here I was panicking and thinking you were her best friend or something.”

“We have our moments.” She says. “But I haven’t really spoken to Lin in years. We saw each other a couple of times these past few years but that’s all.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you.” You put out a hand to shake.

“You too.” She shakes it. “Now we should probably get to that eye before it falls out.”

Your breath catches and your brows lift, sending a shooting pain to your right eye. You break her handshake to hold it and she laughs.

“I’m just kidding. But seriously. Come on.”


	11. Assault In The Second Degree

The room was filled with reporters and crime buffs alike, all dressed in formal clothes and all eager to watch the days events play out.

You sit behind a table with long formal sleeves. A lawyer man sits to your left and another fancy woman to your right. People had explained to you what each of them was there for, but you hadn’t been fully aware enough to listen.

At a table far to the left of you were more important people and Lin, who was in uniform like always. You know why she was on the other side, she does not.

You can feel her staring at you and why shouldn’t she be? You haven’t been responding to her letters at all in the four months you’d been healing and now you show up here for the trial without warning. 

Not to mention, you wore no eye patch to cover the empty socket where your eye used to sit. She didn’t even know until just now that they couldn’t save it.

Revealing your injury had been a play on your team’s side. It was all a play on your team’s side. You don’t really want to be here. Not for the second half of today’s events. But these suited vultures all insisted you do this. 

Yes, her team knows why she’s here and why she’s not on the same side as you, but she has probably no idea. You know her well enough to know she just showed up where she was asked to. You know her well enough to know she still thinks this is just about the massacre. 

“All rise.” A guard orders.

Everyone in the room stands up. The lawyer to your left makes a show of trying to help you as if you couldn’t do it yourself. You can.

“The honorable judge Suzuki residing.” The guard introduces.

The judge is a tall fire nation woman. Her charcoal hair is streaked with grey and pulled back into a tight and formal bun. 

“You may be seated.” She tells you all.

Everyone sits. You catch a glance from Lin and begin to wish she was on your right so you couldn’t see her. 

“We are here today to discuss the events of the seven thousand one hundred and eighty sixth day of the era of Korra in the year of the snake.” She says as though everyone doesn’t already know why they’re gathered here. “We will examine the evidence and ultimately come to a decision on the two crimes that are said to have been committed.”

Lin looks to you again when she hears ‘two crimes’. She’s starting to piece it together and you’re afraid she’s going to get mad. You keep your eyes forward.

“Firstly, we have the charge of mass murder in the first degree by Mister Li Wei Chen of the victims, Ai Li, Biyu Xhu, Akito Itso, Haru Wantanabe, Hiro Tanaka, Xiu Ying Ten, Ate Sortaka, Tokim Sortaka, and himself.” She says. “We hope to come to a conclusion on what happened that day as well as get the victim’s families some peace of mind.”

The judge scans another paper with her eyes. Your heart beats rapid in your chest.

“We are also here to discuss the secondary charge of assault in the second degree resulting in permanent disfigurement of Republic City Police Force Profiling Unit Officer, Y/N Y/L/N, and determine the guilt of Chief Lin Beifong also of the Republic City Police Force.”

***

_ “Mom?” Kya calls.  _

_ She pushes aside the animal skin that hangs down in front of the doorway of the healing center’s room. _

_ “This is Y/N.” She introduces. _

_ “We’ve been waiting for you ever since we got Lin’s call.” The older woman smiles. “It is nice to finally meet you.” _

_ “My eye.” You get straight to the point. “Can you fix it?” _

_ “Come take a seat and let me look.” She says calmly. _

_ You step into the room and kneel on a pillow on the floor before her. Kya continues to watch from the doorway. _

_ She frowns at the now closer sight. Your heart drops. _

_ “The healers back in Republic City said you might have to remove it.” You say. “I was hoping, by some miracle, they were wrong.”  _

_ “I’ll do what I can.” She says. “But I won’t make any promises I can’t keep.” _

_ She raises some spirit water from a bowl as she speaks. She puts the water over your eye. You close them both, focusing on the cooling sensation the water brings you. _

_ “Your troubles go deeper than just your eye.” She notices.  _

_ “What do you mean?” You ask. _

_ “Your soulmate’s mark.” She says. “It’s faded. I can feel it. I’m afraid it’s almost entirely gone now.” _

_ Your eyes shoot open. You gasp. She takes notice of your shock and gracefully puts the water back in the bowl. _

_ “What do you mean almost?” You ask her. _

_ “Did you really think it would disappear completely from just one event?” She smiles. _

_ “Kya said hers went away with the same feeling as mine.” You shake your head. _

_ “Kya’s soulmate was gone. Reborn. Yours still lives.”  _

_ “You’re saying…” You hesitate. “You’re saying she’s still my soulmate?” _

_ “We all only get one soulmate in our lives.” She tells you. “We must trust the universe to get it right.” _

_ “Can you heal it?” Kya asks.  _

_ You were wondering the same thing but were too afraid to say it out loud. _

_ “We can heal the soulmate’s mark too, but your heart has to be open to it.” The woman says. _

_ You bite your lip. Were you open to it? Did you want her still? Could you love her still? _

_ “What happens if we don’t fix it?” You ask, holding your arms subconsciously. _

_ “That’s entirely your choice.” She says. “But if we don’t start the healing process soon, there is a chance it could fade entirely. After that, I’m afraid there’s nothing anyone will be able to do.” _

_ You think it over. _

_ You could still have Lin? _

_ She could still have you? _

***

You knew she would be mad, but you didn’t expect this reaction.

“What?!” She shouts, standing to place her palms firmly on the table.

The volume and rudeness of her voice cause you to flinch. You bet the suits just love that. 

“Chief Beifong, please sit down or we’ll have to hold you for contempt in court.” The judge warns. 

“Your honor, you cannot try me for something you never even arrested me for!” She argues.

“You were arrested.” The judge explains. “But preemptive bail was paid by the police department. You should have gotten a letter explaining all of this.”

She never opens her mail. Never has time. If they tried to reach her in person? She would have set the document down on top of a pile of paperwork and never gotten to it.

She growls, knowing this just as well as you do, and begrudgingly takes her seat.

“Don’t worry.” Your lawyer whispers to you. “We’ve got this win in the bag.”

“One more outburst like that?” The suited woman whispers to your other side. “We can get her put away in seconds.”

Put away?

The judge begins to explain the case to the jury but you don’t hear a word she says.

“I-I don’t want her to go to jail.” You hush back to the woman and the lawyer. 

“Of course you don’t.” The lawyer says. “Play that angle. The heart broken soulmate will get us sympathy from the jury.”

“I really don’t.” You press.

“Well what did you expect?” He chuckles. “You’re the one that decided to press charges with a felony.”

A felony?

Were you calling her a felon?

You turn to look at her and catch her scowling back at you. Everything in you wants to look away but you remain locked on the fury in her green eyes.

What beautiful eyes they are.

You think back to how not too long ago those eyes were looking at you with a passion behind them.

Now? Now all of that was gone. 

You rub your forearm uneasily.

A hand finds its way over the wooden fence behind you to place itself on your shoulder. You look back and see its Kya. A smile tugs at your lips.

She smiles at you reassuringly before taking her hand back so she can’t get yelled at. 

You look back forward and tune into what the judge is saying.

“The witnesses for both cases will be intertwined as the charges are connected.” She explains. “This will be efficient and effective. It will save us time. As such, the questioning time will be extended so that the defense and the prosecution can ask their questions for both cases. Now, the first witness goes to Ms.Y/L/N and the prosecution.”

The woman to your right stands. You can only tell by the sound of her chair scraping against the floor. 

“The prosecution calls, Chief Lin Beifong to the stand.” The woman says. 

That was your first witness? You begin to wish you had paid more attention in the meetings with these people. You don’t want to call her. You don’t even want to be here.

Lin takes the stand.

***

_ “Want to tell me what you’re thinking about?” Kya asks. _

_ She sits down next to you, her legs hanging down next to yours on the snowy cliff. _

_ You have been in the South Pole for two weeks now and still haven’t given your answer to Katara on healing your soulmate’s mark.  _

_ “She says it’s almost too late.” You tell your friend, keeping your eyes forward. “I have to make my final decision by the end of the day.” _

_ “And you’re still not sure if you want it to be fixed, huh?” She asks. _

_ You shake your head. _

_ Her eyes fall to where you hold your blank forearm in your hand.  _

_ She gently takes your hand in her own and pulls you from both your arm and your thoughts. _

_ Your breath catches. You turn to look at her. _

_ She smiles at you, her blue eyes shining bright against the white snowy backdrop. _

_ “Let me take your mind off of it.” She offers. “Let’s spend the day like it’s already gone. That way, you’ll know how it feels to live both with and without her.” _

_ “Living without her hurts.” You say. _

_ You’re not sure why you can’t pull away from her gaze or her grip. It’s like she has you frozen to your spot; Like she has you frozen to this moment. _

_ “I know it feels that way now.” She smiles softer. “I felt that way at first too. But there’s lots of fun you can have without a soulmate.”  _

_ Her smile turns to a smirk and she stands, dragging you up by your hand. _

_ “Come on.” She grins. _

_ “Come where?” You nearly fall over trying to stand so fast. _

_ “Just come on.”  _

_ She runs back down the long slope of the hill, laughing. You can’t help but laugh too. _

_ *** _

“Please place your hand on the constitutional book of law and repeat after me.” The guard tells your soulmate. 

She glares and him and puts one hand on the thick book and the other up by her head.

“I, your name, swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help my soul.” He says.

“I, Lin Beifong, swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help my soul.” She mimics. She rolls her eyes at the end.

“Thank you.”

He steps away with the book and she takes a seat.

“The prosecution may now begin their line of questioning.” The judge declares.

The lawyer man you were starting to hate nears her with a stupid cocky grin.

“On the night in question, you were on a stakeout with Ms.Y/L/N, is that correct?” He asks her.

“Yes.” She replies, arms crossed. “I was.”

“I’m going to need you to lean forward in your chair so the jury can hear you, Ms.Beifong.” He tells her still with that stupid girn.

Miss?! Oh he was asking to die.

She growls and leans closer to the microphone so that her lips are nearly touching it. Your face goes flush and you find yourself feeling jealous of the damn thing.

“Yes.” She says again. “Y/N and I had eyes on the criminal.”

“The entire night?” He questions.

She shoots a look at you. You look down.

“Please look at me, Ms.Beifong, not Ms.Y/L/N.” The lawyer commands. 

When you look back up at the scene, she has her glare locked back on him.

“No.” She answers angrily. “Not the entire night. If we had eyes on him the entire night, then eight people would still be alive. Y/N distracted me.”

“And how did she distract you, Ms.Beifong?” He asks.

“Objection!” One of her lawyers stands. “That’s not relevant to the case.”

“Your honor, it will come into play later, I assure you.” Your lawyer man says.

The judge thinks it over.

“Overruled. The witness must answer.” She finally says.

Lin growls before answering through gritted teeth.

“We were fornicating.” She says. “It was her idea. I was against it.”

“So she forced you, then?” He asks.

“No. Y/N wouldn’t do that-” She grows embarrassed trying to defend herself and starts to blush.

“So you were also willingly taking your eyes off of the suspect?” He raises a brow.

“No. I mean yes. I mean, I-”

“Well which is it, Ms.Beifong? Yes or no?”

“Objection!” Her lawyer says again. “He’s pressing the witness.”

“Sustained.” The judge says. “Reword it please.”

“Ms. Beifong, did you or did you not willingly take your eyes off of the suspect that night?” He asks.

She looks to you, her anxious green eyes standing out against her bright red blush. She wasn’t looking at you to blame you. No. She wants reassurance. 

You offer a small smile and a nod before you can think about what you’re doing.

She looks back at the man. You realize what you did and your smile drops back into a frown.

“Yes.” She answers honestly. “We both willingly took our eyes off of the suspect.”

***

_ There’s no knock before she enters your room.  _

_ You blush; You’re only half dressed. _

_ “Sorry!” Kya gasps, covering her eyes with her hand. _

_ “No.” You stutter. “It’s fine. What do you need?” _

_ She drops her hand and answers, her eyes unintentionally falling to your breasts.  _

_ “I-I brought you tea.” She says. “You’re always complaining that it’s cold so I, um…” She trails off. _

_ “My eyes are up here.” You tease her. _

_ You pull on your shirt, snapping her out of her trance. _

_ “Right. Sorry.” She blushes. _

_ She closes the door behind her and hands you a cup of your favorite tea. You sip on it right away. _

_ “So how’s the soulmate healing going?” She asks, blowing on her own cup before taking a sip. _

_ You sit down on the edge of the bed and continue to drink. _

_ “Well.” You say half heartedly. “I think.”  _

_ Your eyes trace along her curves as you think back to what Katara said at your last session. _

_ “Your mom thinks something is blocking my ability to fully give myself over to Lin.” You explain. “A second string, crossing the one thaat connects us.” You shake your head. “I don’t know. She explained it better.” _

_ “Any idea what this second string could be?” She asks. _

_ She crosses the room to sit by your side and when she does you feel your heart begin to flutter. _

_ “No.” You lie. _

_ “Well whatever it is, I’m sure you’ll figure it out soon.” She says. _

_ She notices you staring and sets down her tea on the flat topped bedpost. _

_ “Maybe you just have to follow it.” She offers. _

_ “Follow it?” You question.  _

_ You barely take note of how she set the cup aside, too focused on those plump and kissable lips. _

_ “Yeah.” She says. _

_ She gently takes your cup and you let her. She sets it aside. _

_ “Follow it.” She continues, scooting ever so much closer. “This, second string. Maybe you just need to see where it leads before you decide what to do about it.” _

_ She inches closer with every word until she’s so close you can feel her breath. _

_ “Kya…” You hesitate. “I have a soulmate.” _

_ “I don’t.” She says.  _

_ Her eyes fall to your lips. _

_ You don’t respond, but you watch her lips back. _

_ She places a chill hand against your warm right cheek and runs her thumb along your cheekbone, just below your eyepatch. _

_ “What kind of soulmate would hurt you like this, Y/N?” She asks. “Even on accident.” Her thumb travels down brush across your bottom lip. “Follow that second string. Please. Let me show you what real soft love can feel like.” _

_ “Love?” You look back up at her eyes and she looks at yours. _

_ “I’ve fallen for you, Y/N.” She tells you. She smiles that perfect little smug smile. “I know you feel the same. Just, give into me. One time. Give me one night to show you how good my love can be.”  _

_ She gets closer, now as close as she can get without your lips touching. You don’t resist.  _

_ “Then, if you still want her, I promise I’ll back off.”  _

_ You think it over. She was so close. So warm.  _

_ Maybe, you think, I should give in. Kya would never hurt you. Not like that. Never like that. _

_ You close the gap between your lips, kissing her with a fiery passion.  _

_ Your forearm tingles with a pins and needles feeling. You don’t care. _

_ She kisses you back and after a few moments you find yourself laying with your back on the bed.  _

_ She kisses the divot between your jaw and your neck quickly then plants two more kisses down your neck. You groan. She comes back up to your lips for another soft kiss. _

_ “Is this alright?” She asks you.  _

_ You think once more. Your body wants her, but what does your heart want? _

_ Your heart wants a distraction. _

_ “Yes.” You nod, pulling her back down for another kiss.  _

_ You make out for a few minutes before you finally request it. _

_ “Please.” You breathe. “Fuck me.” _

_ *** _

“When you took your eyes off the suspect, what happened then?” The lawyer presses.

“We had sex.” She says plainly, glaring against her hot cherry blush. “Then, we started to hear the shots.”

“What did you do when you heard the shots?” He asks.

“I gave her our signal to stop so that I could go help.” She tells him. 

“Couldn’t you have simply asked her to stop?” He asks.

She blushes more.

“Objection!” The other lawyer calls yet again. “Reliveancy, again!”

“Sustained. Get to the point, sir.” The judge says frim.

“Yes ma’am.” He backs off. 

Good. He was making you mad. 

Poor Lin.

“So, you and Ms.Y/L/N, stopped at the very first gunshot. Correct?” He asks.

“Yes.” She confirms.

“Then how is it that nine people still died?”

“It took us some time to, well,” She clears her throat.

She glances at the crowd and you follow her gaze. 

This poor woman. 

The crowd held, in addition to some other people, her sister and her sister’s family, her ex boyfriend and his family, and the avatar and her friends.

You look back at her.

_ Just look at me, Linny.  _ You think.  _ Focus on me. _

She looks back to the man, a stuttering blushing mess.

“I need a clear answer, Ms.Beifong.” He presses with a sly grin. 

That’s it.

You slam your hands on the table and stand.

“Quit treating her like that!” You demand. “She’s clearly uncomfortable!” 

The crowd gasps and mumbles.

“Order in my court!” The judge demands. “Ms.Y/L/N, you will wait your turn to speak.”

“No!” You hiss. You take a breath. “Your honor, this is unfair. Linny is a private person so questioning her about such things in front of such aa large group is just, well, mean. Please. Tell him to move on.” You plead with your one eye, not realizing what you had just called her.

The judge mulls it over, examining you with pensive eyes.

“The court will enter a brief recess so that Chief Beifong can gather herself.” She decides. 

She knocks the gavel against the soundboard and people begin to rise and shuffle out.

You sigh into a relieved smile.

Looking back up, you catch her watching you as she climbs down from the witness stand. She smiles back and you finally realize.

You called her Linny.

Your forearm burns.

“Y/N?” Kya’s voice draws your attention. 

“Kya.” You turn to her. 

The hurt in her face says it all. Is it bad that you don’t care? You do care, of course, a little. But right now all you want to do is find Lin and make sure she’s alright.

You hug your current girlfriend tight and she hugs you back. 

“I have to talk to Lin.” You say, pulling away. “She wasn’t expecting this. I can’t have her thinking that I hate her. I didn’t mean to-”

“I understand.” She offers a smile but her eyes still tell you you’re breaking her heart.

“It’s not like that.” You promise.

“Yes it is.” She sighs and looks down. “But don’t worry.” She looks back up at you. “I knew the moment you got your mark back that it would never be me.”

Your eyes linger on her for a moment. She deserves at least that much.

“I love you, Y/N.” She says. “Now go get your soulmate back.” She smiles slightly more.

You nod and rush out of the room.

***

She looks so alone standing here. 

The trees of the empty courtyard are just beginning to blossom. Some of their old petals have already begun to fall into the turtle duck pond below. 

She stands at it’s edge, still as the water, with her hands to her sides.

“What do you want?” She growls. Her voice tells you she’s crying.

She sniffs and wipes away some tears.

“Haven’t you hurt me enough already?” She spits. “Making a fool of me like that? Just go away. We’re not even soulmate’s anymore.”

She folds her arms in front of her, hugging herself protectively.

You near her, forcing your mind to remain here in the present instead of back in that day all those months ago.

You reach for her, hesitating as you remember what happened last time. You place your hand on her shoulder. She stiffens to your touch.

“I’m sorry I put you through that.” You say. 

Her shoulders shrug up with a choked back sob.

“I’m sorry I hurt your eye.” She shakes her head and holds herself tighter. “I really didn’t mean to. I…” She hesitates. “I did mean to hit you, but I swear I never meant to hit that high. I wanted to throw you back. I was angry, but I wasn’t  _ that  _ angry.” 

“I know.” You tell her. 

You walk up to her side and pull her into a tight hug. She doesn’t hug you back and continues to silently cry.

“I’m so sorry, Y/N. I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m sorry I even tried to push you away; I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry that I fucked up so bad that you don’t even have a soulmate anymore.”

“But I do.” You smile into her.

She pulls out of your embrace and looks at you concerned. For the first time since you followed her out here you get to see her perfect eyes.

You wipe away some of her falling tears.

“Who?” She demands. She glares through her pain. 

You chuckle and now feel like crying yourself.

“Shit.” You shake your head and look up to help blink back the tears.

“I can’t believe you.” She pull fully out of your embrace. “Pulling that stunt in court then coming out here to apologize. I really thought you...well, I really thought you still loved me.” 

“I do.” You look back down at her with your smile. 

Her brows lift with surprise.

You reach out to hold her face. You just now begin to realize just how much you’ve missed her touch.

“I love you so much.” You tell her.

Your tears fall and you laugh.

“Fuck.” You chuckle. “Why am I crying right now?”

“But...your soulmate…” She says.

“You’re my soulmate, idiot.” You shake your head. “They healed my mark. Our bond was never broken, just weakened. I still love you, Lin.” 

Her eyes widen more and her breath catches in her throat.

“I never wanted to press charges.” You can’t meet her eyes. “Everyone else just kept telling me to. I’ll drop them. Right now. I promise. Just-” Before you can say it, she reads your mind.

She kisses you deeply.

Your tears and hers mix against your cheeks, slipping between your locked lips. Neither of you cares.

You separate slightly for air before kissing each other again. 

Your hand knots in her hair, her hands press into your lower back to urge you closer. 

There’s no need for any more words.


	12. Game Night

You’re stopped dead in your tracks and nearly drop your groceries when you see her.

She is sitting on the couch with one foot up on the table in front of her, sawing at her future industries ankle monitor with a nail file.

“What do you think you’re doing?” You scold.

You set down your groceries and close the door. She continues to file at it with a scowl.

“I’m sick of this.” She complains. 

She’s been under house arrest since the trial. Turns out the victim dropping the case on a felony doesn’t get it just thrown away. However, it does drop it to assault one, a misdemeanor, and her a plea deal of six months house arrest with her job waiting for her afterwards.

“Oh so you’re trying a prison break?” You ask.

You try to stay mad but her answer gets you laughing.

“Yes.”

You snatch the file away from her with a laugh.

“Well stop it.” You kiss her cheek. “It’s only for a few more months.”

“Ugh!” She groans and leans back against the couch. “The universe hates me!”

“I don’t hate you.”

You set down the file and lean back with her, snuggling your head against her chest. 

She smiles down at you and wraps an arm around your shoulders.

“I know.” She kisses the top of your head and sighs. “I just wish you were here all the time.”

“Well one of us has to work.” You point out. “And then I have to go home and water my plants and clean my house. But I’m always here for dinner.”

“Move in with me then.” She offers like it’s nothing.

You pull off of her with your brows raised high. 

“What?” She asks with a blush. “You don’t have to, I just-“

“I love you.” You kiss her and she blushes more. 

“So is this a yes?” She asks when you pull away.

“I’ll move in with you, yes.” You smile. She smiles too.

You’re just about to kiss her again when there’s a knock at her door.

“Oh!” You stand. “They’re here.” 

“Who's here?” She crosses her arms. 

“Mako and Wu.” You tell her as you near the door. “I invited them over for game night.”

“Game night?” She growls. 

“Yes. Game night. You need to hang out with someone who isn't just me or you’ll go crazy in here.” 

“So you invited-“

She doesn’t have time to finish her sentence before you’re opening the door to greet the men.

“Y/N!” The bubbly monarch greets.

“Your majesty.” You now. “I’ve heard so much about you from Mako. It’s nice to finally make your acquaintance.”

“Oh no need to be so formal.” He waves a hand. “It’s amazing to finally meet the girl who got good old Mako here to come out of the closet for me.”

“It’s good to see you, Y/N.” Your friend smiles.

“Well please.” You step out of the way. “Come in. Lin’s over in the living room trying to escape this as much as possible.” 

The men enter.

“Did the chief not know we were coming?” Mako looks and sounds concerned.

“Well, she knew as of twenty seconds ago.” You shrug.

Mako looks just about ready to bail but Wu has already made his way through the entryway and over to your grumpy soulmate. 

“Chief Beifong, what a lovely home the two of you share.” He says.

“Actually, I don’t think y/n and the chief have-“ Mako starts to correct.

“Linny actually just asked me to move in.” You correct him instead.

You walk over and sit down next to her, giggling at how furious she looks.

“See Mako?” Wu says. “I told you soulmates are supposed to move in together.”

“When did you decide that?” Mako asks you, ignoring his soulmate.

“About twenty seconds ago.” You reply, placing a hand on Lin’s knee. 

“A lot seems to have happened twenty seconds ago.” He says, both brows raised.

“Oh!” You gasp, standing back up. “I have to make dinner still.” You smile. “I was running late to the store so I only just got here.”

“Do you need help?” Mako offers. 

“I think you best stay here and mediate these two.” You tell him. 

Then, you’re off to the kitchen with your bag of groceries. 

***

It was forty minutes later and you’ve all eaten. Now a game of charades is in full swing.

“Airbenders!” Wu shouts. You nod and start your next puzzle.

“A crocokitten?” Lin questions half heartedly. “A spider snake? Something you’re scared of? I don’t know.”

Mako continues his charade while you and Wu just blaze through the cards.

“The Nutuk movers!” He guesses, yet again correctly. “The avatar! Pro bending! Oo I’m so good at this!”

“Come on chief, it’s-“ Mako starts.

“Hey.” You tell him with crossed arms. “No cheating.”

Your soulmate rolls her eyes and leans further back into the couch. 

The sand in the timer runs out and your teammate jumps to his feet excitedly. 

“Woohoo! Another win for us!” He says.

The two of you high five with a laugh.

“What was on that card anyway?” Lin grumbles. 

“Um…” Mako looks uncomfortable.

“Yeah I’m curious about that too.” You say.

You peek over his shoulder and start laughing. 

“What?” Lin raises a brow. “What is it? Something scary?”

“You could say that.” You continue to laugh.

“Seriously, Y/N, what does the card say?”

“No. Mako’s right. Let’s skip that one.” 

“Now I’m curious. What’s so bad about it?”

“It’s you, Linny.” You finally catch your breath and wipe a tear from your eye. “You’re the scary thing, my love.” 

“What?!” She stands and snatches the card away. 

Upon seeing that you’re not lying, she growls and throws it to the ground. She recrosses her arms.

“This is a stupid game.” She complains.

“Awe, come here.” You hug her and kiss her cheek. She scoffs. “My big scary soulmate.” You tease.

Maybe the Republic City edition was a bad call.

She looks at you with unease.

“I don’t like you calling me scary, Y/N.” She says.

Her gaze lingers at your eyepatch. You offer a soft smile and hold her closer. 

“I’m sorry.” You say. “You’re not scary. You’re badass and strong and beautiful and that just intimidates some people. Not me though.” You pinch her cheek with a laugh.

She scoffs but you catch a smile as you pull away.

“Who’s for another round?” You ask.

“Can we switch teams?” Mako asks back. 

Lin glares. You laugh.

“Okay. Soulmates vs soulmates. I like it.” You nod.

“Maybe we should put a little wager on it too.” Your friend's soulmate offers with a smirk that he probably thinks looks way more sly than it does.

“What kind of wager?” Now you’re intrigued.

“If we win, game night becomes a weekly thing.” He smiles and Lin growls. “But if you win, then I’ll set you up with an all expense paid trip to whichever earth kingdom city you want.”

“Linny can’t leave the city.” You remind him. “House arrest.”

“I’m sure I can work something out with Zhu Li.” He waves a hand. “Or you can always go after. What do you say?”

You look at your soulmate with a smile. 

“Well?” You ask her.

She’s not as grumpy now, but rather intrigued. She’s trying to hide it, but you can tell she’s just as into this as you are.

“I guess that would be fine.” She says.

“Yes!” Wu cheers with a fist pump. “Okay, Lin and Y/N vs Mako and me.” 

You sit down and choose your first cards. It’s silently decided that you and your ex teammate will do the charade first while your respective partners guess.

You pull a card. 

_ Air Temple Island. _

This one should be easy. 

“Ready?” You take the timer. “Go!” You flip it over, starting your two minutes.

You start with the basics. 

“Three words.” Lin guesses.

You touch your nose to show she’s correct and move on to the first word.

Lin sits forward in her seat on the couch, elbows rested on her knees and eyes locked on you. She looks really into this. She wants to win. 

You surprise a giggle.

“First word…” she mumbles.

You blow but she looks confused.

“Hot?” She shrugs. 

You shake your head. 

Mako and Wu go to their second word after guessing ‘Spirit Vines’.

You think and draw an arrow on your forehead with your pointer finger.

“Air benders.” She says.

You nod but make a sign for splitting it in half.

“Air!” She nearly jumps up, then realizes what she’s doing and calms herself back down with a blush.

You nod, really trying hard not to laugh now.

“Second word.” 

You nod.

“Building….no wait it has to be a temple! Air Temple Island!”

You nod frantically and take another card.

“I have to say, it’s kind of nice having you be the one who can’t speak for a change.” She smirks.

You blush and roll your eye at her.

Second card.

_ Metalbenders. _

You set the card down.

Mako and Wu move onto their third word after guessing ‘Avatar Aang’.

You point at her.

“Me?” She raises a brow. “I thought we already did the me card.”

You shake your head. You point back to her and then to a photo she keeps on her nightstand of her and her sister as kids.

“My family?” She asks. “The Beifongs? We’re not a republic city thing.”

You shake your head again. 

The boys seem to be struggling with their word too.

“Me…” she mumbles, trying to work it out like the deductive cop she is. “My family...oh! Metal benders!”

You nod and take another card.

Only twenty seconds left. If she can guess this one before they finish that third card, you win the round.

“Elements?” You hear mako guess. “Ugh. I don’t know. Another avatar? No?”

Yours is another easy one.

_ Future Industries. _

You snort out a laugh at your first thought.

“What is it?” She asks. “Something easy?”

Should you do it? You’re going to do it.

You step closer and grab her ankle. You put her foot up on the coffee table in front of her and point at the ankle monitor. She realizes.

“Is it future industries?”

You nod.

Time runs out.

“Awe man!” Wu whines. 

“What was that last word?” Mako asks him.

“Spirits.”

“How was  _ that  _ spirits?!” 

You giggle and kiss your own soulmate.

“You’re cute when you’re trying to guess my charades.” You tell her.

“Yeah, well.” She blushes. “Don’t ever put feet up on my coffee table again. Mine or otherwise.” She scolds. This time you do giggle.

“Well a deal’s a deal.” The king tells you. “Just let me know when and where you want to go and I’ll talk to good old Zhu Li about it.”

“Definitely.” You nod. “And, for what it’s worth, I would be honored to have this become a weekly thing.”

“Really?” He smiles. “You mean that?”

“Yeah.” You invite without consulting Lin. “Same time next week. See you guys then.”

You walk them to the door and when they’re finally gone, you feel Lin’s hands fall to your hips from behind you.

“Why are you inviting people over to my house?” She teases, obviously not really angry.

“Our house.” You correct. 

“Our house.” She agrees. She kisses your neck. “So where do you want to go on our vacation?” 

“Hm~.” She purrs.

She continues to sway with you in her arms, kissing down your neck.

“Gaoling could be nice.” You suggest. “See where your mother is from.”

“Anywhere but Gaoling could be nice.” She presses back. 

“Oh so Zaofu then?” You chuckle.

“Okay anywhere but Gaoling  _ and  _ Zaofu.” She corrects herself. 

“Hm~” You think but your brain goes foggy to her touch. “How about for now we take a trip to the bedroom?” You turn your head to look into her eyes. 

She pulls away quickly and looks down.

“I’m kind of tired. Maybe tomorrow.” She says.

You can’t help but feel disappointed. 

She’s been avoiding sleeping with you since the trial. 

It’s not that she’s mad, it’s that you know it hurts her to be happy with you; She doesn’t feel like she deserves it. She doesn’t feel like she should get a reward for what happened to your eye.

You sigh and kiss her softly. 

“Cuddle me then?” You offer.

She smiles slightly.

“Always.” She replies.


	13. Lin's New Hobby

She’s beautiful. Then again, what else is new?

Her silver hair falls softly over her face. Her eyes are shut and her face looks tranquil. 

The sun dances through the holes in the blinds, creating perfect yellow lines on her warm ivory skin.

In every use of the word she looks beautiful. Perfect.

Asleep, she’s almost relaxed. Almost, being the key word. She hasn’t been truly relaxed since the trial. There was, after all, no scream therapy in the house; No massaging her shoulders since she no longer let you hold her for long.

You begin to wonder, if maybe, just maybe, you could get away with at least brushing her hair back behind her ear. She is asleep after all, maybe she won’t wake up enough to realize and pull from your touch. Maybe you can hug her.

You reach forward, keeping your other arm under your head and pillow. You push aside her hair. She moves, groans, but remains asleep. 

You smile now that you can fully see her face.

Beautiful. 

Perfect.

You drop your hand back to your side and continue to watch her. You wonder when the last time before all this she got to sleep in past noon was. 

You debate on getting up to make her breakfast, but that would mean leaving this perfect sight. 

You hesitantly reach forward again, this time going for her waist. You place a gentle hand on her side. Once again she stirs but doesn’t wake. 

You smile more and, in a moment of bravery, pull her gently closer. 

Here. Now. This is bliss. 

She hasn’t let your face get this close to hers since that damn trial, too ashamed to face your eye. 

With kisses, your eyes were closed; With hugs, it was always from behind. 

You rest your forehead on hers. Your noses brush together and you can feel her warm breath escape it and hit your chin. 

You smile more and continue to watch her.

She stirs and your heart skips a beat. She’s waking up. 

Do you pull away?

No. That’s stupid. She’s your soulmate. Maybe she won’t pull away from you this time either. Maybe, you can finally hold her.

Her eyes flutter open. She lets out a cute noise.

“Good morning.” You muse quietly.

You kiss her nose then bring your foreheads back together.

“Mm~” She blinks a few times to fully wake herself. “Y/N.” She smiles and places a hand on your cheek. You smile more.

Her smile drops.

“Y/N.” She looks hurt and her tone is less dreamy. She rubs her thumb on your cheekbone below your missing eye.

_ No.  _ You think.  _ Please don’t leave me, Lin. _

You hold her hand against you and turn to kiss the palm.

She pulls away, all the way to the other side of the bed, where she rolls to her back. She prefers to look at the plain white ceiling than to look at your face.

“Is this how it’s always going to be now, Linny?” You ask.

You hold her close, burying your face in the crook of her neck. 

“I don’t know what you mean.” She lies. 

“Right.” You sigh.

You sit up and kiss her gently. Then you climb out of bed.

“I have to get ready for work.” You tell her. 

You stop at the doorway and look back with a smile.

“I don’t mind being late.” You say with a teasing tone. “I’m about to take a shower. I’d really love to-”

“I’m good.” She says. She sits up with a sigh and stretches. “I’ve slept in far too long already.”

She rubs her shoulders out, looking down at her lap; Looking anywhere, to avoid your gaze.

“The offer stands.” You say. You smile through your disappointment. “You look beautiful today, Linny.” 

She looks up at you with raised brows. She softens and forces a smile.

“You too.” She tells you. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” You tell her.

You leave.

The words aren’t empty. You do love her, truly, you do. But these past few weeks have been trying on your relationship. All you want, is for her to forgive herself the way you’ve already forgiven her. 

You know you can’t rush this.

***

“Hey, Y/N.” Mako greets you as you enter the precinct. 

“Hey, Mako.” You greet back. 

“How’s the chief?” He asks.

“She’s…” you hesitate. You hate lying to friends. “Still having a rough time. But don’t worry.” You add quickly. “I’m sure soon she’ll realize that she’s amazing and has nothing to be mad at herself for and then she’ll be better.”

“Still won’t look directly at you?” He sympathizes.

“No.” You sigh.

You take your seat at your desk, directly across from his. 

“I know I shouldn't complain.” You say. “It could be a lot worse. But I love her, Mako, and I want her to be happy. Who even knows what she does when I’m here? Probably mopes around hating on herself all day.”

“Y/N, have you ever known the chief to ‘mope’.” He points out. 

You roll your eyes and give in with a smile.

“I guess you’re right.” You admit. “But I still don’t like the idea of her being home alone all day with nothing to do. It’s not healthy.”

“Maybe you guys should get a pet.” He suggests.

“A pet?” You almost laugh. “Now who doesn’t know Lin?” 

“It’s just a suggestion.” He thinks. “Oh, by the way, Wu wants to know if you guys have decided on a destination yet.”

“Oh yeah.” You reply. “I kind of forgot about that. Lin says anywhere small with little to no people. I for once agree with her on that. A nondescript, little known, tiny village sounds perfect. She’ll be forced to talk to me then.”

“I didn’t know talking was part of the issue.” He looks confused. Poor naive man.

“You really don’t know women, do you?” You giggle. “It’s always an issue when they’re mad at you. Trust me.”

“Okay.” He nods. “Small. Not a lot of people. Reserved. Quiet. Got it.”

“Thanks, Mako.”

Your work continues uninterrupted for the better part of the day.

You’re so engrossed in the profile that it isn’t until lunchtime that you start to think back to her again.

“I think I’m gonna hit lunch.” You say, standing. “You want anything?” 

“I’m okay.” Mako tells you. “Maybe you should bring something to Beifong.”

“That’s not a bad idea.” 

Your eyes wander to the chief’s office.

“Don’t worry.” He says. “I’ll tell Interim Chief Zhaou it was urgent if he asks.”

“Thanks.” You breathe a sigh of relief.

***

Hopefully food from her favorite place will cheer her up a bit. 

You put your key in the lock and prepare for whatever awaits you.

Is she back in bed? Or maybe she’d cooking lunch?

You hope she’s not cooking lunch. Then she won’t be hungry. But bed isn’t good either. She shouldn’t sleep too much.

You open the door and at first see nothing. You sniff the air. No food cooking.

You walk to the kitchen where you set down the takeout on the counter. You take out every container as quietly as you can, just in case she’s sleeping. Then, you head to the bedroom.

There’s noone there.

You’re confused. Did she actually get out of her ankle monitor? You hope not. She’d regret it.

You pause and listen.

“Yes!” You hear her squeak. 

She’s in her office.

She knows she not supposed to be working.

You place your hand on the doorknob.

You stop when you hear more sounds. Now that you’re closer, you can her perfectly. 

“Ugh!” She grunts like she’s straining against something. 

Then you hear another woman’s voice.

“I told you before.” The other woman says. “You have to give into it.”

You recognize the voice. 

Kya.

What was she giving into? Why was Kya here? 

“Fuck.” Lin growls.

“You’re too stiff. You have to, ugh. Here, just, let me.”

Let her what?

Anger begins to boil.

Here you were, all worried, being the perfect soulmate while she’s here with someone else.

You hear Lin gasp.

“Yes!” She squeaks again. She pants. “Yes!” She repeats.

“Amazing!” Kya gasps.

_ That’s it. What the fuck is going on? She better not be feigning self doubt while that homewrecker- _

You open the door and your thoughts are cut off by the scene before you.

Lin sits with her legs crossed in a meditation pose on the saite couch against the wall to the left of the door. Her arms are out in font of her in a very water bender way but her hands are in an earthbending pose.

Directly across from her, looking like she just jumped down from sitting on Lin’s desk, is Kya.

Between them both, rising from the metal coffee table, is a taffy like floating bit of liquid glass.

“I-Is that glass?!” You announce your entrance with the question.

Lin turns to you with a gasp and the liquid quickly solidifies, dropping to the table faster than your jaw drops to the floor.

“Were you just...but…I...what?!” You can’t form a coherent sentence. 

_ Was Lin just bending with glass?! _

“Y/N.” Lin stands. “Shit, you weren’t supposed to see this yet.”

Her voice snaps your gaze to her as she crosses the room.

“Lin…” You say. “H-How? What?”

Lin holds your shoulders firmly but doesn’t speak. She too looks lost on what to say.

“Lin just invented glass bending.” Kya smiles, finally taking her eyes off the table. 

“I saw that.” You start to gather yourself. “Lin.” You look into her eyes and for once she doesn’t look away. “Did you just, randomly decide to invent a new sub type of bending and not tell me? But you told Kya...”

“No, Y/N.” She hesitates and looks back at the table then at you. “Look, I didn’t want to tell you until I had it perfected because it’s for you.”

“For me?” You laugh. “I’m not an earth bender.”

“I know you’re not.” She says as if that’s the point of what you said. 

“Slow down.” You hold her face with both hands. “Take a breath and explain. From the beginning. Why and how are you doing this?” You smile.

She looks back at you with pensive eyes.

Then, she decides to neither breathe nor explain. Instead, she kisses you.

You’re shocked but you kiss her back, deep and passionate. You feel a blush spread across your face.

“Uh, guys?” Kya’s voice reminds you she’s here.

You pull from your soulmate with a smile and a heavy red blush.

“Sorry.” You manage, turning to the other woman.

She looks upset by your PDA, but is actively trying to look supportive. She nods with a small smile of her own.

“I read this article.” Lin’s voice once more draws your attention. 

There are too many different things to focus on.

“When I first got put under house arrest.” She continues. “It was about glass eye prosthetics. People seemed really happy with them, expect for one thing. The fit. I guess they don’t sit right and when you wear them for long bits of time, they can become uncomfortable. 

I reached out to one of the companies. The head of that department said that it was impossible to get the fit right because the only way to make the eyes was with a mold that’s shape couldn’t be altered much for each individual’s particular need. 

I wanted to find a way that my hurting you wouldn’t inconvenience you anymore than it already has but also make it so you wouldn’t have to wear that stupid eyepatch anymore.”

“Stupid?” You tease.

“W-Well, I didn’t mean-” She stutters nervously.

“I’m teasing you.” You hold her. “You figured bending would be a way to perfect the shape.” You finish for her with what you’ve pieced together. “My guess is because glass bends in a semi-liquid form, you found it difficult to manipulate. That’s why you called in Kya for help?” 

You look back at the other woman.

“Lin was pretty frustrated when she called.” Kya tells you. “I figured if it was for you, it was worth the trip up here.” 

That should make you feel happy but it only makes you feel worse.

You pull fully from Lin’s arms and walk over to the waterbender.

“I’m sorry.” You tell her. She looks taken off guard.

“For what?” She asks.

“I used you.” You say. “That was wrong of me. I was-well, I guess that’s no excuse. I hurt you and played with your emotions. I’m sorry. I just want you to know that.”

She doesn’t respond for a beat. Her eyes fall to your lips.

“Apologizing doesn’t make me want to kiss you any less.” She says. 

You hear Lin take a step towards you and you put a hand up for her to stop.

“I know.” You tell Kya. 

Her eyes flutter back up to yours and she sighs into a smile.

“I’m sorry too.” She steps back and hops up on the desk. “I knew you had a soulmate. I secretly wished your mark couldn’t be healed. That was wrong.” She looks at Lin. “I’m sorry to you too. For trying to steal your soulmate.”

Lin also takes a beat before she responds.

“You’ve already more than made up for that.” She finally says. 

***

The three of you munch on your lunch, making you thankful you brought extra food.

The tension has since subsided and after sharing tales of mishaps along the journey to glass bending, you got to the next most obvious question.

“So Lin, when are you going to tell your mom?” You ask, popping another bite of food into your mouth.

She nearly chokes on her drink.

“I’m not.” She growls with a side eyed glare.

“Why not?” You press. “I thought you said you made up with your family a few years back.”

“I said I made up with my sister.” She corrects. “My mother is better but she’s still...well, my mother.” 

“You called her your mother.” You point out. The profiler in you takes over. “Body language, vocal ques, the clear ability to hide your daily events from me. You’ve been talking to her during your house arrest.” Her averted gaze and hesitation in her next bite tells you you’re right. “You didn’t tell me. Why?”

“Lin, you didn’t tell me you and Toph were speaking again.” Kya says.

“I haven’t spoken to her.” She lies. “Every word I say doesn’t have a deeper meaning behind it.”

“Don’t make me profile you.” You threaten. “Have you told her about me? I know Su was at the trial, but that was kind of an awkward time to introduce myself. Still, she knows about me at least. Does your mom?”

Lin growls and takes another grumpy and silent bite. 

“Profiling it is.” You cross your arms and turn fully towards her.

“Oo, this is gonna be fun to watch.” Kya smiles, leaning into her palms and resting her elbows on the table.

“Elbows off the table.” Lin scolds. She doesn’t listen.

“So she doesn’t know about me then.” You note her attempt at a distracting side conflict. “Do you not think she’ll like me?” You gauge her reaction. “Lin…” You sound hurt. “Why don’t you think she’ll like me?”

She looks up at you worried.

“It’s not you, Y/N, I promise.” She says. 

“Yeah.” Kya agrees. “It’s probably just because Lin’s the only Beifong in three generations to even have a soulmate.” She gasps. “Wait! Does your mom even know about your soulmate’s mark?” She smiles. “Oo, does she still not think you have one?!”

“Shut up, Kya!” Lin scolds, throwing a cloth napkin at her. 

“Lin, that’s true. Isn’t it?” You know it is because of her reaction but you want her to tell you.

“Yeah.” She confesses. “It’s true.” 

“But…” You shake your head. “Wait. Doesn’t your sister have like five kids? She doesn’t have a soulmate?”

“None of them do.” She sighs and turns back to the table. 

She looks down in frustration, trying to figure out a way to curb your curiosity.

You let it sink in for a moment before placing your hand on her shoulder with a soft smile.

“I know you’re just getting back in touch with your mother.” You tell her, using her chosen term to comfort her even more. “If you don’t feel ready to drop the bomb about having a soulmate, don’t feel pressured to.”

She looks up at you.

“Really?” She questions.

“Of course.” You smile a little more. “I love you. I’m just happy you’re finally looking me in the eyes again.”

She snaps her gaze back down and your smile falls.

“I’m sorry about that.” She says.

“I understand.” You hug her from the side as best you can. “I love you so much, Linny. I’m here for you. Patiently. Always.” 


	14. Leaving For Vacation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day, all!

She smiles as she holds you close beneath the heavy covers of your shared bed.

“It’s nice to wake up to two beautiful eyes again.” She says, gazing at your perfectly crafted prosthetic.

“Are you saying you didn’t think I was beautiful with only one?” You tease.

Her smile drops and her face fills with worry.

“No!” She swears. “I-“

You laugh causing her to realize your joke. She sighs.

“Don’t scare me like that.” She scolds. “I thought I did something wrong again.”

Her use of the word again was not lost on you. 

Things have been better since you caught her last week, but still you have your struggles. One of which, you are hoping to fix on your vacation that starts today.

“So did you pack yesterday like I asked or do we have to rush this morning?” You ask her.

“What else was I going to spend the day doing?” She asks with a grin and a kiss. “You weren’t here.”

That was the first joke on the subject you’ve gotten in months.

“Oh?” You fail to hide your surprise. You smirk. “I’m willing to be late to the train station if you…” you trail off. 

“When we get there.” She says. “I don’t want to risk being late seeing as this is the first time I’ve been allowed out of the house since that damn trial.”

“Really?” You ask a little too excitedly. “Because if you’re not ready or you’re only doing this because you think it’s what I want, then-“

“Y/N.” She chuckles. 

She pushes your hair back behind your ear. Looking at you now, she blushes.

“I’m ready to try.” She tells you. “I don’t want to make any promises I can’t keep, but I want things to go back to how they used to be. This seems like a good place to start.”

You smile.

“I love you.” You say.

You kiss her deeply, unable to stop giggling at the prospect of finally having sex with her again.

Without breaking the kiss, you climb on top of her, pinning her down with your weight and your lips.

It’s only when your need for air becomes too much that you pull away with a grin. She’s smiling too.

“Let me take a shower real quick and change and then we can go.” You tell her.

“Okay.” She nods.

***

The scene outside the large glass window speeds by rapidly as the train tears down the tracks.

You sigh and turn to your right towards the aisle. You smile when you see your soulmate, legs crossed one over the other, with a book pinched between her thumb and index finger and reading glasses perched on the top of her nose.

“What’cha reading?” You say with a teasing tone. 

You rest your head on her shoulder and stare at the page. 

“It’s about the pai sho killer.” She tells you. 

“Oh yeah.” You say. “I remember him. He really liked to talk about his cats instead of himself.”

“What?” She questions, her attention still very much on her book. You can sense her frustration to your distraction growing. 

“Yeah.” You say it like it’s obvious. “He was one of the most interesting criminals I interviewed when I started gathering research for my profiles.”

She shuts the book and turns to you with piqued interest.

“You actually spoke with the pai sho killer?” She asks. 

You nod.

“Interviewed him.” You correct like it mattered. “He was a very interesting case, despite not answering any of my questions properly. I learned a lot about how psychosis plays a role in the thought process of serial homicide.”

She just watches you for a bit, no emotion showing on her face, while the cogs turn in her brain.

“Do you find that impressive, Linny?” You tease with a smirk. 

You lift your head off her shoulder to get a better look at her.

“No.” She lies. “I find it reckless.” That part was the truth. 

“Reckless?” You laugh. “Have you ever known me to be reckless?”

“Clearly I don’t know the work side of you.” She smiles slightly. “Who else have you interviewed?” 

She puts the book aside and takes her reading glasses off, now fully focused on you and your stories to tell.

“Pretty much every major criminal that hasn’t died yet.” You tell her with pride. “Who's your favorite?”

“I don’t have favorite criminals.” She growls. Her face drops into a glare.

“Come on.” You laugh. “Someone had to be interesting enough to stick around in Linny Beifong’s mind. Who still sticks out to you?”

“Well, there was this one triad boss.” She admits. “Ran the spider snakes and gave me a real good run for my money. The only reason she interested me so much is because it took me so long to get to her.”

“Lee Xie?” You smile. “Interviewed. She was very very into you.”

“What?”

“Yeah. Annoying. She wouldn’t shut up about it. Turns out she committed the crimes as a way to get your attention. Thought you were into her too and using your position to let her go because of it.”

“Well I wasn’t.” She scoffs angrily.

“I’d hope not.” You smile and kiss her lips.

“What about you?” She asks. “Any criminals you haven’t shaken?”

“Honestly?” You bite your grinning lip. “I’m kind of excited for them to catch this current serial killer in Kasiyu.”

“Kasiyu?” She raises a brow. “You mean the same Kasiyu we’re on our way to visit right now? That Kasiyu? You’re telling me this small village has a serial killer on the loose?”

You give a guilty shrug.

“You said small town.” You defend. “And I really wanted to track the killer's movements. I think a profile could be just what the local cops need to catch this guy.”

“Let me see if I’ve got this right.” She growls. “You and I won a vacation to anywhere in the entire Earth Kingdom and then when I said I wanted little to no people around, you took that as I wanted to go to a tiny village with an on the loose serial killer?”

“That about sums it up, yes.” You nod. “If it makes you feel any better, the killer actually travels between the nearby villages. They think he actually lives somewhere in the swamp.”

“The swamp?!” This seems to shock and anger her more than the killer.

Your smile drops.

“I’m sorry, Lin.” You tell her. “I didn’t think it would be that big of a deal. You love catching criminals so I just figured-“

“You figured what?” She barks. “That I’d just love to spend my vacation right outside the swamp my mother lives in?! This was your plan all along, wasn’t it? You just couldn’t handle me not introducing you to her; Couldn’t let me do that in my own time.”

“Lin…” you hesitate, wanting to make sure she’s done. “I-I had no idea your mother lived in the swamp.” You say. “I promise. If I did, I would never have chosen Kasiyu.”

She glares into your eyes, examining you to make sure you’re not lying. She sighs and her face softens to her true emotion, worry.

“Y/N, I’m sorry.” She says. “I overreacted. Let’s just hope she doesn’t find out we’re here, okay?” She forces a smile and holds your face. “Catching a criminal does sound nice. Thank you for being so considerate.”

“Are you sure?” You ask her. “We can always go back home and spend the week off reading or listening to the radio or-“

She kisses you to quiet you.

“I’m sure.” She smiles a little more.

The train jolts to a stop and the whistle blows.

***

The two of you make your way off the train with your bags. She had offered to carry yours but you insisted on doing it yourself. Good thing too, because you stop dead in your tracks when you see who's waiting on the platform.

“Y/N, why’d you stop?” Lin asks with a smile. “Are those too heavy for you? I told you, I-“ she follows your gaze and her smile drops quicker than a bullet shell.

There, only a few feet before you, waiting for someone, probably you two, is her mother.


	15. Vacation Days P1

You fail to move; You fail to breathe. Lin has to speak first. You have to calm yourself before Toph senses something’s up.

You focus on slowing your breath while Lin greets the woman.

“Hey, Chief.” She manages.

“Hey, Chief.” The other woman greets back.

Well that was awkward.

“Who’s your friend?” She asks. 

Not as awkward as that.

You look to Lin for an answer. Who were you? Would she say her soulmate?

“A coworker.” Lin answers. “Y/N Y/L/N. A criminal profiler I have working under me.”

“You mean had working under you.” The older woman smirks. “You know, because you were arrested?”

Lin can’t manage to stutter out a response so you take the lead.

“She wasn’t arrested.” You force a laugh. “Where did you hear that? Lin-“ you clear your throat to disguise how you almost added the ny. “Lin was just taking time off to focus on…” you think. “Medical technology.”

“What?” They both ask.

“Yes.” You nod. “She was making progress in the world of prosthetics. Glass eyes mainly.”

She sees where you’re going with this and doesn’t like it. She gives you a look to double back but it’s too late, the lie is out there.

“Glass eyes, huh?” It’s hard to tell from Toph’s tone if she approves of this or not.

“Yep.” You answer. Lin glares at you. Fuck it; Let her be mad. “Even invented glass bending for the project. It’s actually rather impressive.” You smile.

“Oh yeah?” The old woman turns to Lin. “You do that all on your own?”

“Well, Kya helped.” Lin admits.

“Ha!” The woman laughs. “You know I never needed help when I invented metal bending.”

“Wow.” You scoff. “You really are a terrible person, you know that?” 

“Y/N, don’t.” Lin scolds.

“No.” You step closer to the old woman. “I want to know what makes her think she has the right to talk down to you like that.”

“Careful Chief.” The woman says to Lin. “Your subordinate here seems to be thinking for herself.” She refocuses on you. “Look, kid, why don’t you stop being so sensitive and go run back to your soulmate.”

“How do you even know I met my soulmate?” You growl.

“You’re old enough that it would be sad if you didn’t.” She smiles. “I just hope it wasn’t a stupid first sentence.” She laughs.

“It wasn’t!” You defend.

“Oh yeah? What was it then?” She puts her hands on her hips.

“You’re fired.” You try to sound confident but you know it’s stupid.

She starts to laugh uncontrollably. You hold your arm close.

“That’s the stupidest first sentence I’ve ever heard!” She laughs.

“It is not stupid!” You defend. 

“Y/N, why don’t we-“ Lin starts. She doesn’t have time to finish her sentence.

You instinctively punch this jerk right across the face.

You gasp and cover your mouth with both hands.

_ Shit! I just punched her! I punched my soulmate’s mom! I punched a hero...shit! _

There’s a move for retaliation but Lin steps between you before that can happen.

“Both of you, calm down.” She orders.

“Wait.” Realization comes across the woman’s face. “She works for you.” She trails off. She pinches her face into a tight scowl. “She’s your soulmate!” 

“No she’s not.” Lin says, not as convincingly as she might have liked. “I don’t have a soulmate. Remember?”

“You’re her boss, her words were you’re fired, and she hit me trying to defend you.” She points out. “Figures your soulmate would be a dunderhead.”

“Hey!” You spit.

“Y/N, no.” Lin scolds. “And you,” she turns back to the other woman and hesitates. “Fine. You’re right. She’s my soulmate okay? But I love her so don’t you dare start with me on how soulmates are pointless.”

“They are!” The woman growls back. “Ugh! Here I am, waiting for my daughter because I heard she was coming into town only to be yelled at and punched for no reason by her secret soulmate.”

“No reason?!” You step forward. Lin holds you back with her arm. “Give me another reason, I dare you.” 

“Y/N.” Your soulmate growls. “Enough.”

You begrudgingly cross your arms and glare, knowing your glare has nothing on these other two women.

“We’ve had a long trip.” Lin says. “Why don’t Y/N and I head to where we’re staying and meet you in the evening for dinner. I’m sure once both of you cool off a little bit you’ll get along fine.”

“You should have told me you had a soulmate.” Toph mutters half under her breath. 

“She doesn’t have to tell you anything she doesn’t want to.” You hiss back.

“Tell your soulmate to watch her tongue!” The old lady snaps.

“Please.” Lin almost begs. “Just try to get along. For me?”

Neither if you agree. But neither of you disagree either.

***

You and Lin have been set up in a one room cottage just outside the borders of the swamp. You think it’s cozy, she thinks it’s terrible placement.

“You’re letting her get to you.” You say.

You walk up behind where she’s sitting on the couch and place your hands on her tight shoulders. 

“This was supposed to be our relaxing vacation.” She complains. “Now I have to explain to my mother why I’ve been hiding you.”

“Why have you been hiding me?” You ask.

You begin to rub out the tension she’s holding. Your heart flutters at the way her strong muscles feel beneath your fingers. 

She groans into the feeling and relaxes ever so slightly.

“Not answering the question doesn’t make me stop wondering.” You say as gently as you can.

She leans back on the couch and tilts her head to lay back on the top of it. She glares at you in a very grumpy toddler way.

“I don’t need to explain myself to you.” She says back.

“Oh?” You laugh. “You don’t think so, huh? Remind me love, how did you react when I was off healing again?”

Her scowl softens but she refuses to give in that easily.

“That was different. I had to explain because I didn’t want to lose you.”

“Keep avoiding the question and you’ll lose me again.”

“Really?” She scoffs. “You’re going to leave me over one little question? How immature.”

“Says the one pouting.” 

You smile into your teasing while continuing to rub out the knots in her muscles. 

“Okay.” You sigh. “You don’t have to explain yourself.” You tell her. “To be honest? I haven’t told my parents about you either.”

She looks surprised. 

“What?” You smile. “Forget I have family too?”

“No.” She replies quickly, sitting up and pulling from your grasp. “It’s just, well, I never really thought about meeting your parents before.” She looks down and adds with a mumble, “they’re probably closer to my age than you are.”

“Don’t worry.” You laugh. “One crisis at a time.”

You jump over the back of the couch to sit next to her. You smile and place a quick kiss on her cheek which she promptly rubs off with a blush. You chuckle.

“So your mom knows we’re here. So what?” You tell her. “Doesn’t mean we can’t still have fun.” 

You try to gage her reaction but she still seems too lost in her own thoughts to realize what you mean right now.

You swing a leg over her so you’re now straddling her. She blushes brightly. Good. Get her out of her head for a little bit.

“I seem to recall someone promising that once we got here I could finally touch my beautiful soulmate?” 

You run a finger down between her collar bones, along her sternum. When you reach the low collar of her white tank top, you hook it with your finger and continue to drag it down further.

“Y/N, I love you, but-“ she starts.

Oh no. You’ve been patient enough. Please please please don’t back out.

You kiss her to quiet her and hopefully convince her to continue.

If she’s changed her mind, then there’s nothing you can do about it. But you’d be damned if you just gave up right away.

You pull from the kiss, your finger still hooked around the neck of the tank top and your eyes still locked on hers.

“Is this still okay?” You ask her. “I don’t want to rush you.” You offer a look of sympathy and try to mask your disappointment.

She silently reaches out and holds your face in her hands. You smile slightly and lean into a palm. She runs her thumbs gently across your cheekbones. 

The thumb at your left cheekbone stops and the right one slows. Her gaze drifts right.

Your eye. She’s thinking about your eye.

“I love you.” You say. You need her to hear it. To believe it. 

You hold her hand closer against your right cheek with your own hand and lean into it more.

_ This is okay.  _ You think.  _ Just let yourself be happy. Let us be happy. Because you deserve to be happy; Because I love you. _

Her eyes snap back up to yours with a sudden hunger. She takes a quick breath and pulls you closer. You close your eyes. She closes hers. 

Your lips are just about to touch when a knock at the door causes her to freeze. 

_ Ugh who the fuck could that be?! I swear to god if it’s that bitter old woman again I will- _

Your thoughts are cut off by a voice. A voice she seems to know well. A voice that angers her.

“Lin?” They ask. 

She growls and shoves you off a little too roughly. She rises from the couch. Then, as if recognizing the unnecessary force, she turns back to you with concern.

“Lin, you can’t hide. I know you’re in there.” The woman’s voice says. Her tone just drips with judgment. “When were you going to tell me you had a soulmate? You can’t hide from this, Lin.”

“Who’s that?” You ask. You have a feeling you already know the answer. 

She glares back at the door. She lets out a breath that does little to help bite back her anger.

“My half sister.” She replies. 

One thing is for sure: you are not getting laid on this vacation.


	16. Vacation Days P2

Before you can ask another question, the door is open. You stand close behind Lin, ready just in case her sister is as bad as her mom. Honestly? Based on things she’s told you or told the void during your scream sessions, this woman is probably worse.

“What do you want, Su?” Lin growls.

“I don’t want anything.” The woman says. She pushes her way past the doorway. “I just want to talk to you.” 

“That’s wanting something.” Lin replies.

Lin’s attention is drawn back to the door by something but you don’t have time to look because your shoulders are being grabbed firmly by this new woman before you.

“You must be the soulmate then?” She smiles.

“Uh…” You struggle to find a response. 

Your heart no longer feels like it’s beating and the silence is deafening.

Lin notices your discomfort and shoves the woman off of you. 

“Cut it out.” She scolds, standing between the two of you protectively.

You glance at the now closed door and almost groan in annoyance when you see her mother leaning against it looking smug. 

You look back to the sisters and notice Su’s smile has dropped into a judgmental preppy girl look.

“Why didn’t you tell me you had a soulmate?” She demands. Then she continues to speak before Lin can respond. “Last I knew you were in court after sleeping with some coworker whose eye you took out. Now you have a soulmate? And I had to find out from mom? You really told her but not me? I thought you were over this feud.”

“Why are you even here?” Your soulmate asks. “The whole point of this place was to get away from everyone.”

“Well if you must know, I came to check in on mom.” She defends all innocent. “There’s a serial killer on the loose here, you know.”

“So I’ve heard.” Lin growls. She crosses her arms tight. 

“Now will you tell me why you lied about not having a soulmate’s mark?” 

“I was never planning on meeting her.” Lin defends.

“Oh, of course you were going to meet her.” The sister rolls her eyes. “That’s how soulmate’s work, Lin. You’re destined to meet and fall in love and be together.”

“Maybe I was never planning on falling in love.”

“Oh, so you don’t love her?”

“No!” She says a bit too rushed. “I do. I-“ Lin hesitates. She looks back at you for help.

“I think,” you start, stepping to your soulmate’s side and taking her hand. You can feel her relax into your touch. “that maybe Linny was just worried about making you jealous. You don’t have a soulmate’s mark, right? I heard none of you do. It was hard enough for her to have me be so rude with my first sentence and to be so young. Adding the pressure of making you feel embarrassed at not having one must have been too much. So don’t blame her. Anyone would have lied in her situation.”

Su chews the inside of her cheek, thinking over what you’ve said. Finally, she lets out a breath and smiles at Lin.

“You could have just said that.” She tells her. 

“Well, I-“ Lin starts, only to be cut off.

“And why would I be jealous of you and your soulmate?” She laughs. “I don’t need one. Me and my non soulmate are perfectly happy on our own. Though,” you can tell by her tone shift that she was about to say something mean. “If I did have a soulmate, I’d marry them the second I found them. I mean what’s there to be afraid of? Not like it won’t work out.” 

You catch her glancing at your laced fingers. You grip Lin’s hand tighter. You can’t help but notice how sweaty her palm is getting. You don’t blame her; you’re nervous too.

You look to her face and notice she’s still glaring to project that false confidence. Spirits how brave this woman is. You love that about her.

_ Maybe when they leave, I’ll tell her how proud I am of her. She deserves to hear it. _

You glare forward.

“The pace we take our relationship has nothing to do with you, stop commenting on it.” You hiss.

“Don’t take it personally.” She smiles. “My sister doesn’t really know how to commit. Wouldn’t be surprised if even with a soulmate she never marries.” 

“That’s not true!” Lin defends.

You look at her with worry.

“Wait.” Su gasps.

You snap your attention back forward. She’s looking at you. No. Not you. Your eye. 

“I thought she looked familiar.” She laughs. “Lin,” she looks at her sister. “Is this the girl that got you arrested?”

“Wait I thought you said you didn’t get arrested.” Toph chimes in.

“I didn’t. I-“ before she can defend herself, Su once again cuts her off.

“Nice eye.” She tells you. “It’s glass, right? I noticed you lost yours at the trial.”

“Alright, that’s enough!” Lin barks. She takes her hand back from you and steps closer to her sister with a deep glare. “Why can’t you just admit that you’re jealous and bitter and stop harassing my soulmate?”

“I’m neither of those things.” Su tilts her head. Her voice remains calm. Bitch. 

“Lin, were you arrested or not?” Toph stands up straight. “I don’t care either way but I don’t like you lying to me.”

“Now isn’t the time.” You scold the woman.

“Shut it, one eye.” She insults back. “Did you really invent glass bending or was that a lie too?”

“Glass bending?” The sister questions.

Too many people.

Too many questions.

“Okay, everybody just shut up.” You demand. “Please.” You add a little bit softer. They all focus on you. “Lin.” You smile at her reassuringly. “Why don’t you explain everything, okay? I’m going to go into town and get some ingredients for dinner. Then when I get back, and everyone is caught up, we can eat and talk this over together. Sounds good?”

Her family waits for her to answer for all three of them.

Lin sighs and smiles back.

“Sounds perfect, Y/N.” She says.

***

You couldn’t get out of there fast enough. You feel a little bad about leaving Lin but you know she for the most part at least tries to get along with her family. They all worked together in stopping that one war criminal; Maybe they bonded and you were just a wedge between them that needed to be removed for the communication to flow.

You sigh and look up at the sky. There’s a dusting of grey over the blue above and the moon is just starting to rise. Here, far from the city, you can even see the stars.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” A woman’s voice asks from right beside you.

A shiver shoots down your spine at her closeness; you didn’t notice her approach.

“Yeah.” You agree, side stepping just slightly away from her. “Reminds me of my soulmate. Beautiful and mysterious.”

“So you have a soulmate then?” The woman asks, her voice crawling down your skin like a spider snake.

“I do…” you trail off, continuing to step back. 

You finally drop your line of sight to see her. She’s wearing a dark brown cloak pulled down in a way you can’t see much of her face. What you can see, is the edges of her sickly grin.

Your heart drops and you just know deep in your heart, that what you fear is true.

_ This is the serial killer. _

Your breath catches and shakes in your throat. You continue to step back. Her smile grows. You start to profile.

_ Soulmate. She asked about soulmates. Women are often led by emotions. Crimes of passion. She doesn’t have a soulmate.  _

_ This village is small. She’s from here or around here. She feels guarded by nightfall. She stalked me. My mark. She saw my mark. _

“I really better get going.” You say. Your voice betrays you with a sway like the sway in your legs.

_ I don’t know if I can outrun her. I don’t know if I can run. Lin. I need Lin.  _

You think about the path back to the cottage you’re staying at. It’s not far, but if you scream, chances are she won’t hear. Maybe someone will though.

You open your mouth to scream but she’s one step ahead. 

She rushes you and tackles you to the ground. She presses a hand over your mouth and pulls a knife from her cloak.

Dark hair falls over the edges of a blank black mask she’s wearing. It covers from her hairline to the tip of her nose. You recognize the pattern.

It’s from a play.

A play about soulmates who kill themselves to be together.

“Where’s your soulmate, huh?” She asks. She grits her teeth against a growing chuckle. “Not here to save you? That’s alright. I’ll find them.”

_ The killings follow a two a week pattern. They’re soulmates. She’s killing soulmates and I brought mine here! _

“First?” She grins and now she does laugh. “First I’m going to find your mark and carve it from your skin. A message to your lovely soulmate. Then, I’ll just find whoever looks the most distraught at the news of your death and show them the mark. When their eyes go wide with realization, I’ll know to reunite you through death.”

You bite down hard on her gloved hand. She yanks it back. You wrap your legs around her thighs from here she straddles you the way you were taught in the academy and push her back so that you’re on top. You hold her wrists down flat, smacking her knife hand again and again into the ground until she drops the weapon. 

“Help!” You scream. “Help! It’s the killer!”

She struggles beneath you with hissing rage. Tears fall from your eyes.

“Help!” You continue to scream.

She rips a hand free and punches your cheek hard, sending you back off of her.

By the time you stagger to your feet, she’s being held back by two strong merchants. Thank the spirits you are on a Main Street. 

“The authorities.” You tell them, the question implied.

“Don’t have any.” The one man, a butcher, tells you. He twists her arm and you hear the snap of bone. She shrieks. “Go into my store there and call for the next town over. They got a huge force, it should only take an hour or two for ‘em to get here.”

You look behind you at his shop then down the street toward your cottage. 

You look back at them.

“I might have something quicker. Can you tie her up?” You ask.

He exchanges a look with the blacksmith man that holds her other arm. They both smile at you.

“She ain’t going nowhere.” He tells you.

You nod and rush off back to the cottage.

***

You slam open the door with your lungs screaming for air from your run here.

“Lin!” You call.

Your eyes fall to where she sits on the couch.

She has tear stains on her cheeks and bright red puffy eyes. You’ve caught her crying. Why was she crying? Where was her family? 

You don’t have time to ask.

“Y/N!” She stands and rushes to hug you. “Y/N, thank the spirits! I thought you were gone. I thought you left, that they scared you off. You were taking so long.”

“Lin-“ you start; she cuts you off.

“It’s not true.” She hugs you tighter. “What Su said about commitment? It’s not true. I’m all in, Y/N. I love you. I swear.” She pulls from the hug but keeps you in an embrace. 

“I love you too.” You tell her. “But Lin-“

“No.” She shakes her head, looking down as she continues to speak. “Let me finish. I already know what you’re going to say. That I don’t need to be ready just because they think I should be; that you won’t rush me. I love that about you Y/N, but I am ready. It sounds like a convenient lie, but I brought a ring with me on this trip.” She laughs a little and smiles at the ground. “I was planning to well, I want to marry you, Y/N.” She finally looks up at your face and her smile drops instantly as she notices your expression. “Oh no. What is it? Is it too soon? Too late? You were scared off, weren’t you? I knew it. I knew you wouldn’t be able to get over the eye. I’m so sorry, Y/N, I love-“

“I caught the serial killer.” You interrupt.

She stares at you in a beat of silence. She lifts a brow.

“You what?” 


	17. Meeting The Parents

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be the second to last chapter for this book. I've recently not been writing any of my fics because I've been uninspired by them. This started as a way to get me out of my writers block and I feel it needs to end that way as well.
> 
> Don't worry, I plan to fully flush out this ending in a satisfying way, but I need to clear out my fics a bit before I share what other lovely things I have planned for you all. :)

“What are you doing?” Lin smiles at you from where she leans in the doorway of your childhood bedroom. 

You smile back then turn to the sheets on your twin bed.

“I’m making the bed.” You respond.

The two of you had decided to leave Kasiyu the day you had Lin arrest the serial killer. Between her family and coming face to face with a homicidal maniac, the mood has been ruined. 

However, your vacation wasn’t over.

Zhu Li, still your number one shipper, allowed you to take the time she allowed Lin out of the city before to see your parents. 

Lin had been a nervous wreck the entire way here but managed to calm herself in these past few hours at your parents home seeing as neither your mom nor your dad were here. 

They knew you were coming, so they left you a key. Their absence gave you time to change out the sheets on your bed from the pro bending ones you slept on as a kid, and admittedly until you moved to republic city, to some slightly too large backup white linens your parents kept in the hall closet.

“And why are you doing that?” She teases.

“Because I don’t think you want to sleep on sheets with little pro bending arenas and element symbols on them tonight.” You tease back, not at all embarrassed about your old sheets. Not like she has to know how recently you slept on them, right? 

“Well you’re not doing it how I like it.”

“Oh?” You chuckle slightly as you bag the final pillow. “And how do you like them done?”

“With you, half dressed, under the covers.” She purrs. 

You turn to her and bite your lip, waiting for her to continue.

“Maybe some nice jazz playing in the background as I inch my way closer.” She undresses you with her eyes, still staying put in the doorway, her arms crossed. “Then, I peel back the sheets on your little freshly made bed and you-“

Your heart drops at a sight behind her. 

“What?” Her smile drops and she raises an eyebrow.

“You must be our daughter’s soulmate.” Your dad greets.

She flushes pale and jumps half a mile. She turns to greet your parents with a bow and a stutter.

“Mister and Misses Y/L/N!” She manages. “I-I’m so sorry. I didn’t feel you with my seismic sense otherwise I would have, have-“ the words catch in her throat. 

Would have what?

Stopped making sexual remarks regarding your daughter?

You step up next to her and take her hand. A squeeze reminds her to exit her bow. You giggle.

“Mom. Dad.” You smile at them. “This is Lin. She’s my soulmate as you’ve guessed and also Chief of Police for Republic City. Lin, this is my dad, he’s the sheriff which is kind of like chief of our town’s police department and my mom, a baker.”

“It’s nice to meet you both.” She forces a smile through her blush. 

Poor Linny was so nervous to meet them and then just had to have them overhear that conversation. 

“I’ve read about you in the papers.” Your dad says, his voice as rough as his stone cold glower. 

Lin swallows hard. You bite back a laugh.

Your dad keeps eye contact with her for a few beats before letting out a deep bellied laugh. She forces a laugh of her own which promptly stops when his large hand smacks her shoulder hard. Even for her that had to hurt. Your dad of course didn’t mean for it to or even notice that it did.

Your mom, probably the one you got all your observational skills from, is the first to notice your ring.

“Y/N!” She gasps. 

She takes your hand away from Lin’s and pulls it close for inspection. 

“Honey, look at this!” She squeals, smacking your dad’s large shoulder.

He too peers down with surprise and much less glee.

Oh no. You loved your parents but your dad was very much an old fashioned man.

He locks eyes with Lin once more, this time with real judgment.

“I do hope you didn’t propose to my daughter without asking for my blessing first.” He growls.

Lin keeps her feet and fights back against her obvious nerves.

“With all due respect sir.” She says. “Your daughter doesn’t need your blessing. She can marry who she wants. She’s her own person.”

Lin no!

Lin and your father are stuck in a stare off that’s only broken when your mom speaks once more.

“It’s a lovely ring.” She comments, drawing both of their attention. “You have fine taste.”

“Thank you.” Your soulmate replies through her surprise. 

“Linny is very refined.” You compliment.

You take your hand back from your mom and squeeze Lin’s arm.

“She didn’t know she had to ask you, dad.” You tell him. “Her family isn’t very traditional in that sense. Please, don’t hold it against her.” 

He looks her up and down. She puffs out her chest. Ugh. Will the two of them just stop it with the macho bullshit?

“As excited as I am to see you both.” You once again interrupt their silent competition. “I was planning on showing Lin the town. Is that okay?” 

You only ask to appease your father. You’re going to show her either way.

“I suppose that’s fine.” He says. “But be back before breakfast.” 

Breakfast, like everything with your family, is so structured that it might as well be on the clock.

“Yes sir.” You nod.

“And no fooling around under my roof.” He demands.

“Yes sir.”

“And when we eat tomorrow we’re talking about your eye.”

“Yes-what about my eye?”

“I read the papers, Y/N.” He growls. “I’m giving her the benefit of the doubt because she’s your soulmate, but I don’t like that she hurt you. I want this woman to know she has to earn you.”

“She already did earn me.” You growl back, letting go of Lin’s arm.

“I love you, Y/N, but you tend to let your emotions overrule your better judgment.” He says it like he cares which you know he does but still. 

“I made her work for me.” You defend.

“You didn’t just rush in once you realized she was your soulmate?” He accuses.

“Well, at first I did…” you admit. “But then when she didn’t want me-“

“She didn’t want you even after learning who she was to you?” His volume grows with his anger.

“No no no!” You rush. “What I mean is Linny was very guarded when we met. I helped her through that. Once we actually got together romantically though, we took things slow.”

“Real slow.” Lin adds.

She’s trying to be helpful but she needs to just keep her mouth shut.

“Oh you big lug.” You mom scolds him. “Let the girl have some fun and save your lecture for the morning.” She turns to you with a smile. “Show your soulmate the town, honey.” She leans in and whispers the next part. “I can already see why you like her - just like the knight from those books you used to read.”

“Mom!” You hiss through gritted teeth.

“I’m just saying!” She waves a hand and speaks a little too loud. “With the armor and-“

“Mom!”

Lin had worn her uniform today, trying to make herself look like a viable option for you in front of your parents. Unfortunately you knew your mom was going to bring up that stupid knight from that stupid book.

You had posters of the character all over your walls for years. You were actually kind of scared they’d still be there. Thank the spirits they weren’t.

Now of course, Lin knows and will totally make fun of you for being a fan girl.

“Oh alright.” You mom laughs. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”

“But you’ll be home before then.” Your dad adds with a scowl. “Sleeping. You in the bed, her on the floor.”

“Dad!” You whine.

You drag Lin past them and out the door.

“Your parents are-“ she starts.

“Totally embarrassing?” You finish with an eye roll.

“I was going to say sweet.” She smiles and lifts your chin. “They seem to love you very much.”

“I’m sorry my dad threatened you.” 

“I’d prefer that over him not caring about you the way my mother doesn’t care about me.”

Your heart sinks.

“I’m sorry Lin; here I am complaining about my parents when we just left a situation where yours made you cry.” You hold her face with both hands.

She tilts her head to kiss your left palm. 

“Let’s take a break from parents.” She offers. “Why don't you show your fiancé around your hometown, hm?” 

“Oo~” you giggle. “My fiancé, Linny Beifong. I like that.” 

You kiss her quick before taking her hand and pulling her off through the streets.


	18. Soulmates Forever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so glad you all followed me on this journey. I hope you enjoyed my little AU fic (the first and only AU I've written) and that this ending suits you well. I had lots of fun writing it. :)

Breakfast was...tense for lack of a better word.

Lin and your father spent much of it trying to out scowl each other, both refusing to make the first move in this mental game of chess.

“So, Y/N.” Your mother starts, concern floats over the top of normally cheery voice. “Without making either of you uncomfortable, I’d like to ask about your eye now sweetie.”

Lin breaks her eye contact with your dad to give you a worried look. You let out a breath and squeeze her hand tightly under the table.

Swallowing hard, you turn back to your mother with a forced grin.

“I’ll start by saying Lin didn’t mean to hurt me and that she’s been apologizing every day since.” You tell her. “We were supposed to be watching a suspected criminal, I was so excited to be there with her that I kind of let my guard down and stopped properly doing my job.”

“It takes two people slacking off for what happened to happen.” Lin reassures you. “Don’t blame this on just yourself.”

You nod. Your eyes flick to the floor.  
“Anyway, the suspect attack a lot of people. Linny and I tried to stop it, but only managed to distract him long enough for him to turn the gun on himself. She was scared, so scared, having just watched a man do that to himself. That much was obvious from just looking at her. I went to hold her and-”

“And I was an idiot who reacted with haste.” She finishes for you. “I made sure Y/N went down to the south pole to heal because I knew they had the best healers there. She…” Now it was getting hard for her.

“I thought my soulmate’s mark was gone. It turns out it was just very faded. I made some unwise decisions and when I came back, I managed to get myself talked into bringing my soulmate of all people to court.”

“Without your daughter, I was a wreck.” She continues. 

The way she speaks, it’s like she’s forgotten everyone else is there. Like, maybe she’s not really here, but rather far off in a tainted memory. 

“Lin…” You give her hand a squeeze. She doesn’t seem to notice.

“I’ve had people leave me my entire life, and now, I finally get one person whose not supposed to do that, whose not supposed to ever leave me, and I some how manage to royalty mess that relationship up as well.” She takes deep breath to hold back any strong emotions that threaten to show. “I went to this spot in the woods, this cliff we used to scream off the edge of when we were feeling stressed. I tried to yell the things I felt like we always did, but it wasn’t helpful because doing so just reminded me that Y/N wasn’t there with me this time. So I broke down. I cried. I got angry with myself for crying. I walked right up to the edge and looked down. I almost jumped, but when I thought about it, I felt the slightest burn in my soulmate’s mark. It gave me hope that one day we could be together again.” 

You had no idea she did that. You want to hug her so bad, so tight, and never let her go. You want to heal her pain with a flurry of kisses, but you know that won’t work. You need her to know that you love her, but she already knows. There’s nothing you can do now except continue to hold her hand just a little bit tighter.

She looks up at your dad.

“I’m no perfect soulmate, I know that. I made Y/N work way too hard for me and even after she had me I continued to push her away.” She tells him. “But I love your daughter, sir, and she loves me. I couldn’t risk losing her ever again. So yes, I asked her to marry me without your permission, but no I am not sorry about that. I would do it all the same again except this time, I’d never hurt her to begin with.”

Your mom, sensitive as she is, is sniffles at your lover’s speech. Your father looks her up and down, his strong brows furrowed with thought.

Finally, he speaks. 

“You seem to care very much for my daughter.” He says. “Consider this, my blessing.”

***

The next few months are filled with endless moments of planning for your wedding. Lin swears she doesn’t care about any of this stuff, but you know that’s not true. 

You’ve caught her reading magazines at work and scheduling cake tastings when she says she’s only going to the bakery for breakfast. 

“I figure as long as I’m there, I mean  _ you  _ care about all that stuff so…” She had defended herself. You giggled and proceed to tease her about it every night for a week afterwards.

It’s cute, her caring. 

Now, you stand with your mom in a mid sized room of the community center in your hometown, your soulmate waiting with everyone else outside in the center’s large back garden. Your heart races with a cocktail of excitement and nerves.

“What if she changes her mind?” You ask your mom.

“She won’t, you’re soulmates.”

“What if we’re not really soulmates? I mean, I’ve never seen her mark. What if she doesn’t really have one and my soulmate is actually someone else?”

“Well would you ever want to be with someone else?”

“Spirits no!”

“Then she’s your soulmate.” Your mom giggles. 

“What if she regrets not having family here?”

“Then she can invite her family when you renew your vows.”

“What if she-”

“Y/N. Hush.” Your mother takes your hands in hers and smiles big. “It’s time.”

***

She looks stunning, as always, with a giant smile plastered on her face. Even her smile is perfect; Everything about this woman is perfect.

“You ready?” Your father whispers. 

You loop your arm with his and nod.

Music plays and you begin to walk.

She’s so happy. She’s so beautiful. She’s yours. Forever. 

You take note of who’s here who’s here as you pass each row of seats. There is no ‘your side’ and ‘her side’ since hers would literally just be acquaintances from work and the three half friends she has.

You pass Mako and Wu, who, as Mako always does, brought the rest of Team Avatar with them. You giggle on the inside at how predictable that was. Good thing you had planned for it.

You pass Kya and her brothers, Lin’s previously mentioned friends. Tenzin obviously brought his family but you’re surprised to see that Kya brought someone too. Good for her, moving on. 

You pass some of your coworkers that you’re pretty sure she only insisted on inviting so they would spread the word about your marriage so she wouldn’t have to.

You pass some friends from your hometown, your first profiling team, some family from both your mom and your dad’s side, and finally, you’re standing next to your wife to be.

Everyone settles in; Your dad takes his seat.

You just want to kiss her already, but you wait for the officiator to do his whole thing, opting instead to just take both of her hands in yours.

“Careful, you almost look happy.” You tease her with a whisper as the offiator talks.

“I am happy.” She whispers back. “I don’t think anything could ruin how happy this moment makes me right now.”

You giggle. 

That’s when your eyes catch on something in the distance over her shoulder.

What is that?

Your profiler brain starts to jump to all negative conclusions as it thinks about all the ways a wedding could be a killers ‘thing’. What if it’s some you’ve put away? What if you’re the killers ‘thing’?!

“Y/N?” Lin’s voice brings your attention back to her. You swoon over her beauty. She chuckles and gives the officiator a ‘repeat that’ look.

“You may now, kiss the bride.” The man says for a second time.

Oh!

You smile and wrap your arms around her shoulders, pulling her into a soft sweet kiss. People applaud, turning your wife’s face warm and red. You giggle when you pull away.

“Oh no, you’re stuck with me forever now.” You tease “Whatever will you do, mrs.I don’t have a soulmate?”

“Shut up.” She kisses you once more.

***

“Now it’s time for the father daughter dance.” 

You had really hoped to skip this part, but your dad insisted. You give Lin a soft smile and she smiles back.

“Go on then.” She tells you.

“Are you sure?” You hold her face. “It’s not too late for us to skip it.”

“It’s tradition.”

You nod and kiss her quick. Before you can leave, you hear an all too familiar voice that fills you with a deep boiling anger.

Her mother.

“I know I’m not a father,” The woman says, “but I’d still like to dance with my daughter at her wedding if that’s okay.”

You both spin around to your side. The old woman isn’t alone, she brought the rest of the family too. This must have been what you saw in the distance earlier.

You step protectively between them and your wife.

“You weren’t invited for a reason.” You hiss.

“How did you even find out when and where this was happening?” Lin growls.

“I was a detective too, you know.” The woman retorts with a lifted brow. “You can’t get rid of me, so do you want to dance or what?”

“You hurt her.” You say. “You made her cry. Then you show up here acting like you have this great relationship?”

“Y/N, I can fight my own battles.” Your wife steps out from behind you.

“You shouldn’t have to, Linny.” You look at her sympathetically. “Not on your wedding day.”

“I love you.” She kisses you soft. She turns back to her family with a stern leer, silent for a moment. Then finally she sighs. “You can stay, but if I hear one negative thing about Y/N or soulmates, I’m kicking you out and going back to holding a grudge.”

“No negativity, I promise.” The woman holds out a hand. 

Lin gives you a look. You sigh and smile at her.

“It’s up to you, love.” You tell her.

She takes her mothers hand and follows you to the dance floor to meet your dad.

***

The rest of the night is filled with jokes and laughter and dancing and fun, and, at one point, you manage to sneak Lin away from it all to share some quieter private time alone.

“I can’t believe I’m at my own wedding right now.” She shakes her head. “Fifty years old, and I’m finally getting married. And to my soulmate of all people!”

“I can’t believe I get to spend the rest of my life with you.” You smile and rest your head on her shoulder, following her gaze up at the stars. “I’ll be honest, I wasn’t too thrilled when I first found out we were soulmates.”

“What?” She sounds slightly offended and very surprised. You chuckle.

“I just mean, I always expected my soulmate to be someone, well, I guess who also believed in soulmates. Someone soft and touchy feely.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint.”

“That’s just it, Lin.” You lift your head off her shoulder and turn her chin to face you. “You’re nothing like what I was expecting, but you’re exactly what I needed. I love you. You, not the soulmate system, you. I love Lin Beifong, the strong, kind, selfless, badass, who doesn’t go around sharing her inner most thoughts with just anyone. I love the Lin Beifong that made me work to get her to go out with me. I love you. I never want anyone but you. You’re not just my soulmate, you’re my other half. I never knew I was incomplete until I found you and now? Now I’m excited that I get to spend every waking moment of my life with you. Complete. And in love.”

She’s a blushing mess. It’s obvious she doesn’t know how to respond so you kiss her. Deep and passionate. You kiss her as though it’s your soul reason for being on this earth. 

Your forearm burns as your mark disappears, but it’s good burn this time. The marks did their job and now it’s time for them to leave. Time for you and your soulmate to be more than just soulmates; For you and your soulmate to be one.


End file.
